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Review: Misterwives’ “Superbloom”

In the midst of a global pandemic, music has been one of those things keeping us afloat. It’s hard to picture famous musicians being in the same place as us, but you can bet they are keeping themselves entertained and busy. Taylor Swift recently dropped her new album, Folklore, and Twenty One Pilots put out their single “Level of Concern” that gave them a VMA nomination for “best home video.” That being said, some albums have been delayed, such as The Killers’ “Imploding the Mirage” which was pushed back from May to August.

Misterwives managed to push through and pump out “Superbloom,” a journey of self-discovery and trauma as frontwoman Mandy Lee dealt with a breakup after eight years with bandmate Etienne Bowler. The 19-track-album — which is longer than any Misterwives album previously recorded — focuses on Lee’s “journey of finding a superbloom within the barren desert and the needed juxtaposition of the two in order to grow.”

Lee hopes her journey of self-reflection can help others, as well.

“I offer up this record to anyone in need of the reminder that you, too, can come out the other side and superbloom,” Lee told Paper magazine. “I deserve congratulations, ‘cause I came out the other side.”

The album is a great mix of happy and melancholy, starting with the indie hit “the end.” To get to the beginning, you must start with the end, and Misterwives conveys this perfectly. This is the song to play when you’re feeling lost, when you’re driving for miles just because you can. 

Lee writes, “I need to get to know myself on my own,” conveying what humanity often feels. Who are we? What are we here for?”

In “rock bottom,” she says you must fall to get back up, while “whywhywhy” finds Lee answering her friends and family’s questions of why this is happening. Breakups are never easy and Lee shows the pain of separating. The song “find my way home” takes a look at tour life, or rather, the lack thereof. A global pandemic really puts a hole in touring plans and for a band that lived for live shows, Lee turned to songwriting to get back the feeling of playing live music. (I can vouch for this. Misterwives shows are some of the best moments of my life.)

 

“Superbloom,” the “track of the summer” as Lee and company referred to it, takes the album back to Misterwives’ roots with their funk-pop horns that’s impossible not to dance to. “Love me true” is similar; put this song on at a party and it’ll be a hit.

 

Additionally, this album had a bit of experimentation on it, turning away from upbeat, swing band type sounds to soft piano, synth, guitar and heavy drum beats. Lee enlisted the help of K. Flay, Dylan Bauld (bassist in Flor, producer for Halsey) and Louis Schoorl, songwriter for Kesha, Andy Grammer and more to make a masterpiece. This album at first glance is a lot different from previous Misterwives, but it still has lyrics that make you go, “I’ve been there,” and some great tunes for you to curl up in bed or go for long drives too.

Finding yourself might be a challenge, but it’s not impossible.

Stream Superbloom now on Apple Music, Spotify and all other streaming platforms.

 

 

@dillydahle

—sydney.dahle@aggiemail.usu.edu

Sydney Dahle is a fourth-year student studying history and political science at Utah State and is currently the Lifestyles Content manager for the Utah Statesman. She hails from St. Louis, Missouri, and spends her free time writing, listening to The Killers, and playing Animal Crossing on the switch.