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Nov 20, 2012By purging themselves of old ghosts in such a forceful manner, Seim and Harris have tapped into a wellspring of emotional catharsis with Moms.
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Nov 9, 2012Moms is perfect evidence that Menomena are still more than capable of holding their own.
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MojoOct 22, 2012Possibly it's the glorious touch of melodic grandiosity forming the heart of Don't Mess With Latexas that supplies the most climatic moment to remember amid this remarkable, kaleidoscopic offering. [Nov 2012, p.84]
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Oct 8, 2012Taken as a whole, Moms outreaches and outpaces any of Menomena's previous works.
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Oct 5, 2012Mostly, it's a success.
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Oct 4, 2012Tales of inner demons and illusory loves firm up dark but euphoric sonic adventures, and it's hard not to share in the band's audible sense of exhilaration and excitement as each odyssey unfolds.
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Oct 2, 2012Moms is an album that you will probably end up liking, and liking a lot, though it is also conversely an album that is hard to enjoy with its heart-on-its-sleeve sentiment and the realization that its creators might not be the most affable guys on the planet.
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Oct 2, 2012It's amazing, actually, that despite having been around for over a decade, through trauma and breakups and now their fifth record, Menomena still sound fresh and uncontrived and, well, endearingly innocent.
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Oct 1, 2012As memorable as the lyrics are on Moms, its biggest strength is the way Harris and Seim's already quite similar vocals and contrasting worldviews effectively intertwine.
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MagnetOct 1, 2012While Moms never reaches the earwormy heights that it leads off with, there's still a bunch of choice moments [throughout the album]. [No.91 p. 56]
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UncutSep 28, 2012The sheer velocity with which they throw ideas out makes this a mighty exhilarating record. [Nov 2012, p.77]
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Sep 24, 2012[Moms is] about lamenting family trees and the things that created us worse for wear. Together, Harris and Seim have created a rock album punching the stomach the way their lyrics do.
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Sep 21, 2012With one album completed under the new lineup, Harris and Seim show that they'll continue guiding Menomena in interesting, unpredictable directions.
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Alternative PressSep 20, 2012You can feel that relaxed swagger throughout Moms thanks to some of Seim's slinkiest funk rhythms, and the giddy arena-rock guitar antics the pair allow to pop up throughout the proceedings. [Oct 2012, p.90]
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Sep 20, 2012With the lyrical focus on family life, this record is their most personal, powerful and cathartic yet.
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Sep 20, 2012he songs are tighter and leaner than on Mines ("One Horse" throws off the mean), rarely wandering, with lyrical themes prevalent rather than all-consuming.
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Sep 20, 2012It's not that Moms is anything less than a solid record (it's a pretty strong one, even, from a band that has yet to truly disappoint), but it's telling when on the penultimate track, "Don't Mess With Latexas," Seim sounds a bit deflated.
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Sep 20, 2012The newly reduced duo return with a fifth album that could be 2012's least likely coming-of-age.
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Sep 20, 2012It's a bold, intense and confrontational album that uplifts through catharsis.
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Sep 20, 2012The personal nature of the lyrics shouldn't be overlooked. It's what makes Moms feel less like an exercise in sonic exploration, and more like a flesh-and-blood rock record... that happens to also be an exercise in sonic exploration.
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Sep 20, 2012Although Moms is the result of its two creators' putting themselves through the wringer, it never feels overshadowed by dread.
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Sep 20, 2012Ultimately Menomena only confirms what many already know--that love and relationships are tricky--but damn if it isn't an interesting ride.
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Sep 20, 2012Exuberant and direct, the album is a refreshing change from the subtle layering of Mines, finding the band at its most musically manic while delivering its most personal lyrics to date.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 14 out of 16
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Mixed: 0 out of 16
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Negative: 2 out of 16
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Oct 23, 2012