Last August, Moody Little Sister released their sophomore album Great Big Mama Sunshine. This album serves as catalyst in their canon. Not only does it find them departing from their piano-pop beginnings, but this album is their first after moving to rural New Mexico from Portland, Oregon.
Naomi Sparrow’s vocals mixed with Rob Stroup’s arrangements make for a new genre of music they have dubbed “Southwestern Americana Soul.” It’s evident from the opening title track that this album takes on a new Americana mixed with both self-empowerment and tumbleweeds.
The first single, “711 Lucky Street,” anchors the stage for the entire set. This tune’s addictive chorus mixed with its soulful-grit explores the realms of living as your true self while defying all odds.
It’s at this point in the album (only two songs deep!) that Sparrow’s voice will strike you. One feels like they’ve heard her tone forever, but one cannot place it. Sparrow’s voice has the comfort of home, as it seems it has always been with you, yet it has a hint of new that inspires. Basically, her voice acts as your best friend.
The highlights of Great Big Mama Sunshine change with every listen. From the classic country sounds of “Losertown” to the reviving “Tumbleweed”, to the modern rockabilly tinged “Rooster,” this album always has a new nook or cranny to explore.
The pinnacle of the album, both musically and lyrically, is encountered with “Child of The Wild.” This autobiographical track captures Sparrow’s vocals at their most comfortable. Not only do you feel a sense of confidence in every note, but each lyric is meticulously placed to create an authentic “go your own way” mantra.
Sparrow stated, “From a human perspective, Great Big Mama Sunshine is the musical antidote to the current climate of despair. With a world in crisis and bad news on every corner, good people of the planet forget that joy is our best medicine to defend negativity.”
Moody Little Sister accomplishes just that with their album Great Big Mama Sunshine, both lyrically and sonically. It serves as a light in a world of pessimism while standing firmly in being true to yourself, a message this country needs desperately.
