Dr. Mary’s Monkey is a mod/punk/power-pop/soul movement from New Orleans, Louisiana based around the songs of singer-songwriter Shawn Gwin, nicknamed “The Sage” by his band and producers. The four-piece band is Sage, guitar, vocals; Robin Sherman, bass, vocals; Yàno, keys, vocals; and David Shirley drums, vocals; plus special studio guests. Combining a love of music from Motown, Memphis, London and New Orleans with Sage’s distinctive songwriting craft and lead vocals, their unique synthesis of styles makes for rock music that catches the ear, engages the mind and never forgets it’s got to roll. Velvet Dreams was tracked in legendary New Orleans studio, Neutral Sound Studio; produced by Grammy-winning and Oscar-nominated record producer and mixing engineer “Bassy” Bob Brockmann (Aretha Franklin, Herbie Hancock, Prince); and features an A-list of New Orleans sidemen.
Velvet Dreams, the debut album from Dr. Mary’s Monkey, is a portal into the psychedelic experience in reverse. The 12-song collection of finely-crafted, mind-frying Nuggets-style rockers; psych-soul ballads; tuneful vintage punk; and dreamy Motown is a loose, semi-humorous concept piece about living through life in our dystopian world. Welcome to the realm of Dr. Mary’s Monkey. Viva the revolution, and the evolution!
Today Glide is excited to premiere Dr. Mary’s Monkey’s new single, “(She Said) This Girl Is Free,” which captures the group’s unabashed Motown-meets-Beatles pop-rock. The feels straight out of a bygone era with its shimmering instrumentals, whistled melodies, soulful groove, and lyrical nod to Cat Stevens’ “Wild World.” The band exudes that kind of old soul charm while also tapping into the kind of indie rock aesthetic of groups like Dr. Dog. Shawn Gwin lays down his swaggering yet classy vocals while we get a surprising dose of fiddle from and plenty of organ to keep things bouncing along. Ultimately, this is the kind of music that fits into the musical culture of New Orleans without tying itself to any of the cliches that bands may haphazardly attempt to replicate.
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