The Martlet

In an age of heavy synthetic beats and auto-tuned voices, indie band Mother Mother stands out with lively harmonies and quirky lyrics. The five-piece Canadian band, based in Vancouver and Quadra Island, has captivated a loyal following across North America with two successful albums that stay true to the roots of rock music.

With a third album in the works, Mother Mother is kicking off the summer with their first European tour, followed by a pair of shows in Victoria, at Alix Goolden Hall on June 8 and at Element on June 9.

Ryan Guldemond, lead vocalist, guitarist and now producer welcomes the upcoming shows.

“When you record an album, you’re hobbled away at a studio and not getting out there,” he said over the phone from Vancouver, where the band is working in the studio. “It’ll be nice to play some shows after taking that hiatus, not only to just get the blood flowing again in the live context, but also to just get back to work.”

With the upcoming tour, Mother Mother – made up of Guldemond’s sister Molly Guldemond and Jasmin Parkin on vocals and keyboard, bass player Jeremy Page and drummer Ali Siadat – are hoping to become more global.

“That’s our goal,” Guldemond said. “You start in your hometown and then go, ‘Oh man, it’d be great to get a gig in Victoria.’ You then have to think, ‘Can we crack North America? Ah man, we gotta go to Europe!’ And then onwards. That mentality is a simple one that always persists the further you go.”

Opening the sold-out June 8 show will be Ontario’s Born Ruffians, who are no strangers to Mother Mother.

“We really love their band. They have such fun, quirky, catchy, simple little tunes. Sometimes to achieve simplicity effectively can be the most complex thing and Born Ruffians do that so well,” Guldemond said.

Mother Mother formed in 2005, originally debuted their first record as a self-titled offering, before re-releasing it as Touch Up in 2007. Their sophomore album, O My Heart, came out in 2008. The band is currently recording their third untitled album, with a potential release date for September 2010.

Guldemond believes that the upcoming album is “the most exciting record yet.”

“We are over the hump, so to speak. With [Mother Mother], the vocals are always an interesting feat in the studio, especially in making those harmonies come to life in the recorded format,” he said. “I think there’s a nice cohesion among the songs. They’re all friends. There’s no outcast amongst the group.” The new album is Guldemond’s first time producing on his own, and he is also hinting that there may be an intergalactic space theme.

Mother Mother has also been talking with their label about releasing a B-sides album for fans that crave more.

“The idea of excluding any [song] is just heartbreaking,” Guldemond said. Mother Mother cherish their fans in the same way they cherish their songs. And Victoria fans have a special place in the band’s heart.

“Victoria is very kind to us,” Guldemond said. “Whenever people in a given region respond keenly to our music there is an inherent bond, one that we wish to serve for the remainder of our touring careers by visiting as often and as logically as possible.”

Geography works in favour of local fans too. “Victoria is a stone-throw away from our home on Quadra Island. So, there’s some sort of island pride there.”