"Allow me to be clear / There's no gender essentialism here..."
"Period Sex" by Dublin, Ireland's always interesting M(h)aol is not the first song about this subject but clearly is the only good song about this subject. Instantly captivating with a groove punctuated by an off beat snap that feels like it's pushing you into a sonic room full growing layers of sound. I can't stress enough how heady this song gets. The raw kick drum, the guitar swells, the transmission of guitar effect or electronica, the scattered ness here around Róisín Nic Ghearailt's alluring vox create a living breathing atmosphere like stoked embers about to catch fire.
Róisín's vocals begin with the songs refrain, it's chorus : "Let's have period sex / It's the time to make a mess" and as a mirror the sonic stew here is (while not mess) full of avant garde shapes, askew rhythms and sounds and I like this. The absolute deep groove that does not follow rigid lines like a stunning bent mirror of proto punk or art rock / punk artists like Kraftwerk, or Pere Ubu or Radiohead or Television feels exquisitely compelling.
[With a shoestring budget, bassist Zoë Greenway made the video to show an honest portrayal of female desire. It was influenced by experimental filmmakers like Carolee Schneeman, Barbara Hammer and James Bidgood, both in their challenging of the dominant interpretations of sexual expression and how they use human bodies and dreams to subvert expectations. The main influence came from the period sex scene in Joanna Hogg’s film The Souvenir Part 2 with its mature, realistic and normalised depiction of period sex - the underwater world was inspired by Georges Méliès.
Zoë comments, “At the end of the day, it’s just a bit of blood, isn't it? It’s just a biological process that 50% of the human organisms on earth go through every month and there shouldn’t be any shame or taboo surrounding that. You know bats also menstruate? It’s just science that people menstruate, I don’t think anyone should ever feel embarrassed about it, about seeing blood on sheets or underpants or things like that. ”]
M(h)aol is between Dublin, Cork, Belfast, London, and Bristol, the band is formed of Róisín Nic Ghearailt (She/Her), Constance Keane (She/Her), Jamie Hyland (She/Her), Zoë Greenway (She/Her), and Sean Nolan (He/Him).
Of the track which is from M(h)aol's album "Attachment Styles", Róisín shares:
“Prior to writing the track I’d had a lot of eye-opening conversations around period shame with people of all genders and from all walks of life, and I wanted to write almost an anthem for everyone who had ever had a period or loved someone who had one. It felt like a hugely powerful thing to be in a position to create a song as a band that was unequivocally sexy. I’m a cis bisexual woman in a queer, sapphic relationship. Periods and period sex are a part of my reality, and my girlfriend actually helped me with the lyrics in the first verse.”
This other verse somehow stays in my head:
"Oh, I'll put a towel down
Oh, before I go down
I don't want to ruin your sheet
But I'm sorry, baby
I'm in the mood to eat"
Oh, before I go down
I don't want to ruin your sheet
But I'm sorry, baby
I'm in the mood to eat"
...not because of the candid honesty, though it is that, not because it may feel taboo to some, though it will, but because when it comes to something you don't understand or feel less than comfortable with, someone who lives or loves differently than you do, someone with a different political perspective, someone who is decades older, someone whose gender choices, whose ethnicity, culture is vastly different then just PUT A FUCKING TOWEL DOWN (figuratively speaking). Open your mind, your heart, if it gets messy it will come out in the wash.
Really dig this track and the amazing Official Video courtesy of bandmate bassist Zoë Greenway. This from press notey stuff:
[With a shoestring budget, bassist Zoë Greenway made the video to show an honest portrayal of female desire. It was influenced by experimental filmmakers like Carolee Schneeman, Barbara Hammer and James Bidgood, both in their challenging of the dominant interpretations of sexual expression and how they use human bodies and dreams to subvert expectations. The main influence came from the period sex scene in Joanna Hogg’s film The Souvenir Part 2 with its mature, realistic and normalised depiction of period sex - the underwater world was inspired by Georges Méliès.
Zoë comments, “At the end of the day, it’s just a bit of blood, isn't it? It’s just a biological process that 50% of the human organisms on earth go through every month and there shouldn’t be any shame or taboo surrounding that. You know bats also menstruate? It’s just science that people menstruate, I don’t think anyone should ever feel embarrassed about it, about seeing blood on sheets or underpants or things like that. ”]
M(h)aol is between Dublin, Cork, Belfast, London, and Bristol, the band is formed of Róisín Nic Ghearailt (She/Her), Constance Keane (She/Her), Jamie Hyland (She/Her), Zoë Greenway (She/Her), and Sean Nolan (He/Him).
-Robb Donker Curtius
https://twitter.com/mhaolmusic
https://open.spotify.com/artist/3YQdlHhWbhvV46g0bDtaFN
https://mhaol.bandcamp.com/track/bored-of-men
https://www.instagram.com/mhaolmusic/
Gracing the cover of Spotify’s Hot New Bands multiple times, and based between Dublin, London, and Bristol, M(h)aol (pronounced male) are formed of Róisín Nic Ghearailt (She/Her), Constance Keane (She/Her), Jamie Hyland (She/Her), Zoë Greenway (She/Her), and Sean Nolan (He/Him).
Following the release of their critically acclaimed EP Gender Studies they gained a spot in the NME 100, as well as support from The New York Times, Rough Trade, BBC6 Music, So Young, Gigwise, Hot Press, The Irish Times, The Line Of Best Fit, and more.
M(h)aol have been hand selected by Shellac, and Gilla Band to support, and performed at Latitude, Green Man, Primavera, and End Of The Road Festivals. They were recently announced for SXSW next year and will be touring for Independent Venue Week.
THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM
https://twitter.com/mhaolmusic
https://open.spotify.com/artist/3YQdlHhWbhvV46g0bDtaFN
https://mhaol.bandcamp.com/track/bored-of-men
https://www.instagram.com/mhaolmusic/
Gracing the cover of Spotify’s Hot New Bands multiple times, and based between Dublin, London, and Bristol, M(h)aol (pronounced male) are formed of Róisín Nic Ghearailt (She/Her), Constance Keane (She/Her), Jamie Hyland (She/Her), Zoë Greenway (She/Her), and Sean Nolan (He/Him).
Following the release of their critically acclaimed EP Gender Studies they gained a spot in the NME 100, as well as support from The New York Times, Rough Trade, BBC6 Music, So Young, Gigwise, Hot Press, The Irish Times, The Line Of Best Fit, and more.
M(h)aol have been hand selected by Shellac, and Gilla Band to support, and performed at Latitude, Green Man, Primavera, and End Of The Road Festivals. They were recently announced for SXSW next year and will be touring for Independent Venue Week.
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