Here

Mammoth Penguins

Here

(Fika Recordings)

I have an incredible fondness in general for rock trios.  So many of my favorite bands over the years have been trios.  There’s an economy and cleanliness in the arrangements that appeals to me.  Personally, I find bandleader Emma Kupa’s best work has been in this format.  It’s not just the wonderfully straight forward arrangements, which are immaculately captured here.  Everything sounds so clean and fresh that it feels live.  It’s not just the music though, Kupa’s lyrics are so relatable that listening to an entire album feels like reading an especially deep letter from a treasured lifelong friend.

“It seems I have to learn everything the hard way” Kupa sings on the incredible crunching opening “Species.”  She sings with such a precise honesty that it’s refreshing and so relatable.  It’s a trick.  It’s what I’d love to pull off with my own writing here, so I am envious and greatly admire it when I come across it.  These songs unveil themselves as a journey to self-discovery.  While the previous LP mined emotions around an especially unwanted end to a relationship, Here finds telling missives about finding satisfaction.  “Flyers” is a direct commentary on being in a little known band.  Kupa’s frustration with pouring her heart out, all while playing shows to no audience, sleeping in vans, and storing triple XL Tee shirts under her bed (this XXXL monster would like a deal!).  I think anyone who has done anything creative that they try to share with the world can relate.  It doesn’t take long to realize that “no one cares at all.” (“Blue Plaque”).  We are all wrapped up in our own worlds.  Stuff that feels monumental to us when shared isn’t a priority to anyone else out there.  That’s how it can often feel.  It’s not necessarily true, which is the direction we’re led to as the album wears on.  The effort can be worth it.  It’s not easy.  What is the cliché?  The grass isn’t always greener.  As humans, we are always in some sort of transition.

Here finds solace in living in and appreciating the moment and the things that are positive in life, and realizing that the difficult parts can be a part of that too.  Kupa sings “fuck success / fuck expectation” with a well-worn voice of experience and acceptance, as opposed to a reactionary bitterness. 

The thing is that the Mammoth Penguins write fantastic rock songs.  I love turning these songs up really loud, air guitaring all of the power chords, punctuating verses with cymbal splashes (air cymbals), and belting out the vocals along with Kupa’s earnest voice.  These tracks are fun and catchy and, yes, remarkably personable. 

(https://fikarecordings.bandcamp.com/album/here)

Mammoth Penguins "Species"