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Tuesday, April 12, 2022

MFMB and the brooding dark glow of "Sugar" (Live Performance)








Photo by Jasmin Janine Techert

The first time I saw a band with two drummers (Live) was Osees back when they were called Thee Oh Sees and I remember this feeling coming over me, a feeling of tremendous joy and frenetic energy like a 5 year old fueled on two dozen Pixy Stix. That came to mind as I watched the Bollnäs municipality's, Sweden based MFMB live performance of "Sugar".  A brooding eclipsing track that is likely darker than anything the spring laden Jon Dwyer would ever conceive of. The double drumming is integral to the absolutely stomach tightening tension the band builds up. The stoic, savage vocal aesthetic in tandem, blending harmonies, the ramping clang of guitars and synthetic transmissions feels as artistic as they feel barbaric and I love it. 

"Sugar" is the title track of the band's latest album that was seven years in the making and not an easy seven years as press notes indicate::

The making of the album is a story in itself. ”Sugar" is seven years in the making. It has been a bumpy ride. The tours following ”Colossus" took their toll, leaving them in a state of internal friction - infighting basically. Then when it finally came time to work on Sugar, when it was decided the process of composing songs should be a completely democratic one, tensions increased further. They were not always the best of friends. Priorities changed. Members quit, then joined again. It was never easy. We believe you can hear it on the album, how every song is a result of differing opinions fighting it out until they landed. In the end, it's MFMB, but ringing purer than ever before. Opening up with title track, 

”Sugar" recalls the bold and blistering stylings of their early work. A song about "the weight of existence and the deceptive allure of taking the easy way out”, it's an intense and propulsive opener and a warm-up for what is to come.

“This one just kind of fell into place, all by itself. It was very early in the process of making the new album, and we thought that maybe the whole thing would be this easy. Just let the songs finish themselves, it’s a cakewalk! We were very wrong. Sugar did however set the standard for the rest of the album."

MFMB are comprised of: Erik Nilsson (he/him) drums, Vic Narin (they/them) vocals Joakim Lindberg (he/him) guitars, Christine Björk (she/her) vocals /guitar, Sebastian Hedberg (he/him) bass and  Kristoffer Bäckström (he/him) drums.
 
-Robb Donker Curtius  

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 MFMB, alt rock, post punk, art rock, Sweden, Bollnäs municipality, album "Sugar", seven years in the making, brooding, dark, moody, internal friction, ramping tension, 


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