Words by: Tom Jackson
Artwork by: Rhianna Berthoud
Photos by: Lucy Williamson
When one of the most established bands in the Falmouth music scene drops their second album you can’t help but sit up and take notice. Unafraid to experiment and still unapologetically themselves, Mothman, The Man enters a new exciting chapter in their journey with ‘Where’s Your Head?’.
With a sound that is equally dark and theatrical this new record still retains the quirky humour and psychedelic influences we’ve all come to love from Connor, Billy, Charlie, Finley and Lewis but isn’t afraid to try something new and build on their past success.
Tracks such as ‘Gigantopithecus’ and ‘Where’s Your Head’ deliver a powerful energy that has an incredible ability to make your face screw up like a receipt you’re about to throw in the waste paper basket — in the best possible way. In case you were wondering, this is the bit in the album where you start headbanging and jumping around the room.
Speaking on an upcoming episode of WhisperCast Connor told us the supernatural influences on this album came from family superstitions and a childhood fascination with the paranormal. Though he’s not experienced anything out of the ordinary himself he commented ‘It’s always been interesting but the fun is suspending your disbelief and thinking… what if this is real!?’.
This otherworldly influence is at its most evident in the second half of the album where the ambient synth work of Lepidoptera and the intricate soundscapes of Aural Lyceum build effortlessly and transport you to a place far far away from the mundane and everyday.
The final two tracks are both the stand-out tracks from the album for me. It’s where the band really shows their full potential.
‘Cult of Bone, Pt2 – The Odyssey of Clive Gatorkill’ manages to accomplish the impressive feat of condensing an entire Western movie into just 5 minutes. A follow-up to ‘Cult of Bone’ from their debut release this truly cinematic experience is based on the silliest of concepts yet grabs your attention with a rousing instrumental and clever, engaging storytelling that leaves you hanging on every word.
As we leave the world of Clive Gatorkill and his gunslinging antics you’d be forgiven for thinking that it couldn’t get better than that… oh boy do I have a treat for you!
Mother Leed’s 13th Child, Pts 1 & 2 has been sending crowds into a frenzy everywhere from the Killigrew Inn to the Isle of Wight Festival and everywhere in between and now it’s finally been released into the wild. This seven-minute epic is an all-consuming behemoth of sound that takes you on a rollercoaster from start to finish. Closing out the record with a track is intoxicating and powerful as this really does feel like a statement of intent.
The world needs to get ready, Mothman, The Man has unleashed a beast.
‘Where’s Your Head?’ is out now on all streaming platforms and you can hear the full conversation on WhisperCast on Wednesday 24th April.