Kansas twin sisters ‘The Black Mariah Theater’ release the glorious garage rock tones of ‘Mean To Be Mean’ and we’re all in!
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The Black Mariah Theater – Mean To Be Mean
The Black Mariah Theater released their first full-length album ‘Patron Saint’ in 2020 and immediately signalled their intent, fusing a heady mix of garage guitar, and angst-fuelled vocals.
It would be easy to assume the template for the band had been set, but with their next release they ripped that template up with an EP of stripped-back obscure acoustic covers that showcased their jazz and blues lounge influences.
When you understand their roots, this makes complete sense. Twin sisters Analiese and Sophia Motta grew up with a shared love of ‘The Blues Brothers’ after the gift of an electric guitar and a drum kit in grade school they began covering The White Stripes and Green Day.
High School bought forward the formation of The Black Mariah Theater where the duo started reimagining Jazz standards before adding hip-hop drums and garage rock to their cannon.
“The mix of garage punk and jazz is something people would think might not work, but those were the styles of music we enjoyed playing and listening to,” said vocalist and guitarist Sophia Motta, while sister Analiese plays drums. “The incorporation of jazz into our music came from the idea that good music doesn’t fall into one genre.”
Their new single “Mean To Be Mean’ returns to their more visceral garage rock sound, and leaves traces of early White Stripes ringing in our ears. Their self-described ‘witch rock’ sounds exciting and it’s easy to forget their robust sound is made by just two people.
If you like what you hear, be sure to catch them on their two-week, ten-date tour through the northern United States. Follow them on their socials for live dates and info.
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Words Mark Knight
