Mama k Tean 4

This eponymous release from Irish hard rockers Mama's Boys was intended to cherry-pick the best tracks from the band's first years of independent activity (two albums and a handful of singles) as a means for new label, Jive Records, to introduce them to America. Problem was, Jive's notion of "best" actually translated as "most accessible," and this meant that many nuggets from Mama's Boys' wonderfully unassuming first album were passed over for unquestionably sleeker but creatively more pedestrian offerings from their second…

Let’s unpack the term ‘lullaby’ for a sec. It’s an act of song used solely to soothe a person into rest or slumber. Lullabies are meant to be sung in a confidential caring space, away from prying eyes, contrary to the widescreen pop song, which is music that usually functions as a great connector for a mass audience. Mélissa Laveaux’s new album Mama forgot her name was Miracle explores these seemingly disparate musical directives in a bold, celebratory way…