Mary Shelley - "Brother"
Mary Shelley have been gigging in New York for the last two years and they’ve recently started to get some well-deserved positive attention. Their first official release, “Bourgeois de Ville,” railed against pretentious partygoers, while conceding that every one of us, themselves included, have been said partygoers at some point in time. Now, they’re back with another banger that engages in a similar, but admittedly fiercer, societal critique, while still leaving room for a bit of self-reflection. We’re excited to premiere “Brother” today on Look At My Records!
Mary Shelley stand out on “Brother” due in part to front person Jackson Dockery’s unique vocals, which are snarky, somewhat menacing, and pointed, allowing the song’s commentary to really resonate. Based on Dockery’s own experiences pledging a fraternity in college, the song expounds on what he describes as the “hyper-masculine paradise of partying and fighting and getting laid that you’re told as a young man to aspire to.” Sonically, the track is definitely punk-esque, but with some serious grooves.
Dockery shared the following on the song’s inspiration:
“From drinking piss and semen to being forced to physically beat one another to countless sexual assaults - it’s this skewed recitation of the “man-up” mantra. That if you’re really a man you’ll toughen up, you won’t complain, you won’t resist and you’ll just do it. I began to understand that there was this fear of being alone that made these young men, in these groupthink situations, act out in toxic and even violent ways that they may not have previously… There’s this fear of loneliness that opens up these men to accepting deplorable treatment because it’s in the pursuit of companionship. Of brotherhood.”
Stream the track a day early below!
Mary Shelley will be celebrating the release of “Brother” with a special gig tomorrow night at The Bowery Electric. They’ll be joined by Zoos and Golder. Get your tickets in advance here! They’ll also be performing at the Windjammer on October 30th with Nihiloceros, Hot Knives, NEVVA and Shilpa Ray. Keep up with the band by following them on Instagram.
