Mourn - "Self Worth"
It takes some artists a lifetime to produce the quantity and quality of work that Barcelona's Mourn has in their first half dozen years as an active group. As the band’s members entered their mid-20s, they already had three incredible records to their name, which garnered them unassailable indie cred and tons of critical praise. Their latest effort, Self Worth, is another notch on their belt that’s worth its weight in gold, as Mourn, now operating as a trio, delves into a critical and mature examination of their past and ponders what's in store for their future. It represents their most powerful and polished collection of songs to date.
Mourn brings immeasurable levels of energy to their music, and it’s inescapable from the record’s very beginnings. Even the first track’s title, “This Feeling Is Disgusting,” leaves any ambiguity at the door, although the first few moments may be slightly deceptive. After a gentle, whispery intro, the guitars fly off the rail, and their impassioned sing-shout vocals breathe additional life into the song’s propulsive beat. The band recharges a bit on “Call You Back,” injecting some harmonies and cleaner guitars, but I’d almost liken this brief change of pace to the slow upward incline on a roller coaster, as a rush of adrenaline returns immediately thereafter on the booming “I’m In Trouble,” and the energy pretty much remains at a heightened level for the balance of the record. Not being ones to mince words, their piercing lyrics really stand out on songs like “Men” and “Apathy,” as their thrashing guitars are paired with words that confront problematic men on both a macro and micro level. The former rails against the persistent weight of toxic masculinity in everyday life, while the latter dissects a toxic relationship with an immature male figure, who appears to assert himself in a similarly noxious manner, as they describe “You give me lessons / On how to be a decent woman / Overthinking, over speaking.” Their frustration is understandably palpable, and Mourn does an impeccable job translating these feelings sonically.
My favorite song on the record comes at another moment where the band comes up for air and exhales a bit, giving themselves and the listener a few moments to catch their breath. As the third to last track on the record, “A Worthy Moment” appears to be strategically situated, coming right before the emotional assault of “Apathy” and “The Family’s Broke,” as vocalist Jazz Rodríguez Bueno prepares us for what’s in store to close out the album. She sings “I should have been trying to prove my worth,” before the haunting, cryptic refrain of “I feel like I’m falling,” asserts itself above an oscillating earworm of a guitar riff. It’s a perfect example of how well Mourn threads the entire record together, as the songs don’t merely exist as standalone vignettes - they instead interact with and build off of each other for a thrilling 35-minute ride.
You can purchase Self Worth on limited edition milky clear vinyl via Captured Tracks or Bandcamp. The album is also available on all streaming platforms. Keep up with the band by liking them on Facebook and following them on Instagram.
