There’s never been a shortage of cover albums on Spotify playlists, yet the bluegrass realm seems to be unrepresented by taking familiar songs and turning them into sprawling string sections with expressive passages and hints of Appalachia. Take “Just The Two Of Us,” the otherwise schmaltzy Bill Withers/Grover Washington standard and turns it into a breakdown that for the first time gives a “this rocks” emblem over the otherwise mellow tune. It’s that formula that has made this New England newgrass quartet Mamma’s Marmalade a rising must-listen for those looking for a new voice in the roots realm.
Glide is premiering their new EP Fakin’ It: Covers Deserving of Coverage – a five-track whirlwind of musical bravado that proves Mamma’s, with their nimble musical chops and heartfelt vocals, deserves some key daytime festival slots in Summer 2023.
Following the success of 2021’s Rabbit Analog and their subsequent touring, New England newgrass quartet Mamma’s Marmalade took a moment to rest and regroup. Bassist Dan Bisson decided it was the right time to pursue other interests, and the band found themselves in temporary limbo. Rather than put their steadily building career on hold, the band decided to call up some friends and collaborate. “This whole thing started as a conversation around who was going to join us as a bassist on our next recording project”, explains lead vocalist Lily Sexton, “and that naturally progressed into deciding to just have a bunch of guests join us.”
Rather than craft originals with their ever-growing group of eager guest musicians, Mamma’s decided to shake things loose by working up a batch of inspired covers. “We wanted to put ourselves in the shoes of artists we’ve always admired” explains guitarist Sean Davis. Adds Sexton, “We wanted to pick songs by very well-known artists that may have been overlooked in their day.” What they have put together is an inspired reimaging of deep-cut classics: the Bill Withers and Grover Washington cut “Just the Two of Us” features Twisted Pine, Grain Thief cruises in for Bruce Springsteen’s “Highway Patrolman”, Gabe Hirshfeld (banjo) and Dan Klingsberg (bass) are featured on “This Song Has No Title” by Elton John, and the Simon and Garfunkel tune “Fakin’ It” get the Americana treatment with a little help from Jacob Jolliff (mandolin), Ross Martin (guitar) and Myles Sloniker (bass).
The process of creating Fakin’ It: Covers Deserving of Coverage was both exhilarating and deeply inspiration for Mamma’s. “The experience of arranging on the spot with incredibly talented musicians taught us so much” says Sexton. “We’ll carry that on into our next studio project.”
