Welcome to My Blue Sky

Still enjoying a slow and steady climb through the indie ranks at this point, L.A.s Momma -- the project of childhood friends and co-singers and -songwriters Etta Friedman and Allegra Weingarten -- enjoyed a bump in popularity with the release of their Polyvinyl debut, Household Name, in 2022. Their Polyvinyl follow-up and fourth album overall, Welcome to My Blue Sky, was preceded by their first alternative Top 40 hit, "I Want You (Fever)," a single they went on to perform on their late-night TV debut. That song and the album on the whole find the typically contemplative act -- contemplative at least for the type of hook-driven, 90s-inspired alt-rock they trade in -- turning up the amps and fortifying their sound for their most energized outing yet. Its also their most vulnerable, as they itemize challenges and (mostly) ill-fated relationships related to touring in support of Household Name. "I Want You (Fever)," for one, is about setting ones romantic sights on someone, even if it means persuading them to break up with their current s.o. ("Let her down, itll feel good"). On that note, they dont shy away from showing themselves in an unflattering light on a set that also pays tribute to those on the other side of the romantic equation who are having trouble letting go (the more somber but still riffy "Rodeo"). On Welcome to My Blue Sky, even a song with a title like "New Friend" is far from celebratory. That track trades grungier textures for strummy acoustics, breezy theremin-like interjections, and melodic lead guitar. Later, the almost power ballad "How to Breathe" talks about hiding a queer relationship from parents before its noisier, blissful choruses focus on the relationship itself. Speaking of noisy, "Last Kiss" is a borderline hard rock entry that wraps lyrics about being the leaver in layers of harmonic dissonance. Momma sound like the same band here, as they tweak their sound in ways that seem to reflect emotional complexity while strengthening hooks and riffs, at least on the more memorable tunes. ~ Marcy Donelson