Mamalarky - Tallies
Atlanta's Mamalarky released their debut full length on Fire Talk (Dehd, Bnny, Deeper) in 2020. An immediate critical breakthrough, the album saw praise from outlets like NPR, Bandcamp, NYLON, FADER, Billboard, Consequence, Paste and Pitchfork, who highlighted it's "complex instrumental interplay that inspires lean-forward listening."
As soon as they were able the band began hitting the road in earnest, touring with Slow Pulp, Jerry Paper and like-minded label mates PACKS and Wombo, which has only seen the buzz around the band grow in the last few months. Today, the band are returning with track entitled "You Know I Know", that arrives with a video featuring the Mamalarky's trusty tour van.
"'You Know I Know' was never supposed to come out," singer/guitarist Livvy Bennett explains, "but my bandmates told me it would make for a great single. I accidentally wrote a rock banger that sounded like it could have come out in 2007, like MGMT meets Weezer meets Sheryl Crow.
"The song is about growing up in Texas and having really overwhelming dreams of playing music and takin' it on the road. Having those dreams come to fruition recently has been exciting and has further grounded me in appreciating how much Texas, and Austin specifically, gave us the proper nutrients to do what we're doing now.
"It's also a bit about, ya know, death and impermanence. Having all your accomplishments and high notes framed by mortality is a good way to make sure you're taking it all in."
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The Toronto-based band, Tallies are today sharing their new single, "Special" which comes as another preview of the band's forthcoming second album, Patina which is out July 29 via Kanine Records (US), Hand Drawn Dracula (Canada) and Bella Union (UK/EU). The latest single arrives following a string of recent tracks which have found support at Stereogum, Paste, Clash, Brooklyn Vegan and more with the new record following their self-titled debut which earned acclaim at, KEXP and BBC 6 Music in 2019.
Speaking about this new single, Sarah of the band says: "'Special' is about longing to be seen and heard by those who matter to you most. Sometimes feeling invisible is particularly painful when the indifference comes from someone whose opinion means a lot to you."
The juxtaposition of light and dark is a strong theme in the music of Tallies and certainly apparent once more with this new single, "Special" – another fine example of their gliding, shoegaze-adjacent jangle-pop reminiscent of The Sundays, Galaxie 500, Ride, etc. While many of their songs are upbeat, with Frankland’s breezy guitar lines drenched in reverb, soaring over Cian O'Neill’s propulsive drumbeats, Sarah’s lyrics can add a hint of shadow to even their most jangly tunes.
Coming produced by Graham Walsh (of Holy Fuck, previously helmed records by METZ and Alvvays) alongside Dylan Frankland of the band at Palace Sound, Baskitball 4 Life and Candle Recording in Toronto, Patina arrives as a true labor of love; one that was delayed due to the pandemic but ultimately marks a truly rewarding collection for the band. Upon sharing the music with labels, it pricked the ears of Cocteau Twins' Simon Raymonde – a hero of the band – who signed Tallies to his Bella Union label, providing "a light at the end of a dark tunnel" according to Sarah Cogan of the band.
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