Album Review: The Mommyheads – Acorn
Cult sensations The Mommyheads have never made a bad album. They’ve also never achieved anything close to the mainstream success they so richly deserve. Clever in the extreme, the NYC-based group also turns out supremely melodic music; The Mommyheads are that rare creature, one that makes winning and accessible music that is intelligent without being too arch for mass consumption.
In recent years, the group has embarked upon a project of reissuing its early material; The Mommyeads boast a deep catalog. One title that seemed to escape the reissue effort was the band’s 1989 debut, Acorn. Dating from a full eight years before the group’s brief major-label dalliance (cough Geffen cough), Acorn is fourteen tracks of Mommyheads in their earliest form. The group bore little resemblance to its current configuration, with only founding member and primary Mommyhead Adam (Elk) Cohen on board.
As hinted at above, the music is accessible, but only if one grades on a curve. “Cactus Farm” seems to run at two speeds at once: the instruments careen along with abandon while the vocals flow sweetly atop them. Weird, but it works. “Gravity” has a jazz combo feel, though it’s certainly not jazz. Some of the tunes seem quirky for the sake of, well, quirkiness, but there’s nothing wrong with that. The Mommyheads’ skewed take on pop wasn’t yet full developed, but the seeds of their particular brilliance had already been sown, and Acorn more than hints at the greatness to come.
“Song About Norman” is a more dissonant take on the sort of thing Camper Van Beethoven would explore. “Dance for Me” shows The Mommyheads to be kindred spirits with The Residents, Frank Zappa and other outliers. “Uncle Joe’s Barbecue” is only slightly less bizarre. “Tie This Dragon Down” applies pop values more strangeness. The angular “Between the Moon and the Sun” is catchy in its own way, suggesting Violent Femmes with a sharper sense of whimsy. “Space Jazz” does in fact suggest the influence of Sun Ra, crossed with a bit of Esquivel or Martin Denny. “At the Mall” again recalls Violent Femmes and Camper Van Beethoven.
A decidedly strange set, Acorn isn’t the ideal entry point into The Mommheads’ world. But it’s an important piece of the puzzle, and recommended to anyone who appreciates the group’s unique artistry.
About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day for several years). The more than 5000 interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he taught a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- some 40 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: 30 Great Concept Albums is available now. Read even more about him here.