Motherhood : Thunder Perfect Mind

Motherhood Thunder Perfect Mind review

In a landscape dominated by algorithmic playlists, it’s refreshing to encounter a band like Motherhood, whose latest release, Thunder Perfect Mind, feels like a bracing wake-up call. The New Brunswick trio—Brydon Crain (vocals/guitar), Penelope Stevens (bass/keys/vocals), and Adam Sipkema (drums)—has always specialized in challenging the boundaries of genre, but here they tighten the focus on tangential sonic realms. The result is an album that feels leaner, yet still brims with Motherhood’s trademark inventiveness.

Conceptually, Thunder Perfect Mind draws from the group’s fascination with metaphysical displacement, centering on imagery and lore tied to the Wolastoq River. Motherhood often weaves regional history and Canadian storytelling into their lyrics, but here, they spin those references through a science-fiction filter. Even the album’s title—borrowed from the Coptic poem “The Thunder, Perfect Mind”—hints at deeper philosophical themes beneath all the searing guitar riffs and explosive drum fills. The record’s narrator seems caught between cosmic questions and everyday realities, mirroring life in a small community while also wrestling with larger, universal forces. It’s that tension—local versus cosmic—that makes Motherhood’s storytelling so compelling.

Historically, Motherhood’s discography has been all about genre-blending. Earlier releases, especially 2019’s Dear Bongo, featured adventurous compositions that roamed freely between alt-country, art punk, and experimental rock. Critics and fans alike praised the band’s knack for seamlessly merging those disparate elements into cohesive musical narratives. Live shows further cemented Motherhood’s reputation for raw, high-energy performances, even when dealing with complex arrangements. Following that display of experimentation, Winded, the group’s subsequent LP, saw them refine their controlled-chaos approach. Tracks like “Crawly 1” and “Crawly 2” exemplified a powerful tension-and-release dynamic, while “Table Top” emphasized their flair for nuanced arrangement—no surprise, given the production input from Deerhoof’s Greg Saunier.

On Thunder Perfect Mind, Motherhood keeps one foot firmly planted in that restless spirit but hones in on an avant-garde aesthetic. The band still draws upon an eclectic palette—one moment reminiscent of Morricone’s widescreen Western scores, another nodding to the ferocity of Bad Brains—but there’s a sense of architectural precision here that sets it apart from earlier releases. A layered approach never compromises energy. Instead, it highlights Motherhood’s ability to balance accessibility with experimentation.

Lyrically, Motherhood continues to explore themes of identity, personal struggle, and the quest for meaning. “Moat” and “Dry Heave” wrestle with internal and external pressures, while tracks like “Propeller” and “Bok Globule” use motion—both literal and metaphorical—as a thematic thread. The haunting “Wandering” captures the feeling of searching for connection in an ever-shifting world, perfectly encapsulating the album’s balance of introspective storytelling and anthemic drive.

A major part of Motherhood’s sound lies in the interplay between Crain’s and Stevens’ vocals. Crain toggles between a twangy drawl and raw, throat-shredding outbursts, while Stevens provides a spectral counterpoint. This back-and-forth tension in their voices reflects the band’s finding of harmony in apparent discord.

By paring down some of their more extreme aural swings, Motherhood has crafted their most cohesive statement yet with Thunder Perfect Mind. The band manages to maintain that signature unpredictability—one moment swirling in feedback, the next diving into a surf-rock groove—while forging a direct path that’s exciting to follow. Thunder Perfect Mind is a significant milestone, proving that even within narrower stylistic confines, this trio can still push boundaries and uncover new possibilities. It’s an album that demands (and rewards) close listening—a fresh take on contemporary sound and storytelling that reaffirms Motherhood’s status as one of Canada’s most inventive independent bands.


Label: Forward

Year: 2025


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