Momma : Welcome to My Blue Sky
On the title track of Momma’s fourth album Welcome to My Blue Sky, the group’s co-founders Etta Friedman and Allegra Weingarten sing, “It’s just my blue sky to see… I’m getting kind of sick of seeing it through, but I have to.” Within this confession lies the thesis of the band’s latest album—throughout its twelve tracks, themes of reflection and introspection inject the band’s solid rock sound with bursts of nostalgia and moments of growth.
After the success of their previous album, 2022’s Household Name, Momma underwent a bit of change and a lot of time on the road—the title of Welcome to My Blue Sky was actually inspired by a sign the band spotted at a gas station while on tour. That sign ended up being an ad for an oil company, but the sighting led them to write the title track, a silver lining among the frustrating times the band works through on the album’s 12 tracks. The bond between members has likewise grown stronger over the years, as made clear on standout track “Bottle Blonde.” In discussing the song, Weingarten said, “That song is partly us talking to our younger selves and telling them everything’s going to be okay, but it’s also us talking to each other right now… It’s saying that even if our relationship ebbs and flows, we know that we’ll always be each other’s anchors no matter what we go through.” With a whirring synth beat mixed within Weingarten and Friedman’s shimmering harmonies, it feels like a pep talk, a comforting note to return to later.
The album’s heaviest track is “Last Kiss,” a stunning, explosive detour into a metallic sound, with thrashing guitars and percussion pushing through till the end. Bringing to mind the midwest emo scene and bands like Nothing, Nowhere and Tiny Moving Parts, Momma throw their anguish into its instrumental heft, while the production heightens the carefully crafted hard rock sound. There’s a richness to the overwhelming sound of much of the album — produced by bassist Aron Kobayashi Ritch — like on the opening of “Ohio All The Time,” in which a triumphant blend of synths and bass heralds what’s to come.
Momma has kept their blend of punk, indie rock and grunge carefully balanced to produce a sound all their own—the influences of their grunge and power-pop predecessors can be heard, but nothing they create is homage or pastiche. It’s a refreshing approach to guitar-driven indie rock, and the band’s aim is clear: to keep honing and sharpening their uniquely excellent rock anthems. Allegra Weingarten said of their intentions, “With this album we were less concerned with sounding cool and heavy and rock & roll and much more focused on good, clean songwriting that hopefully inspires people to sing along and mean every word.” Here, Momma overdeliver on that front, offering a lush landscape of emotionally resonant pop.
Label: Polyvinyl
Year: 2025
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Momma : Welcome to My Blue Sky
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