Art rock, at least back in its heyday, was a genre that mainly came from England, with Yes, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Genesis and the like. But there have been some interesting American bands plying the elaborate musically sophisticated territory over the decades. One of the best, in my opinion, was the rather short-lived band Happy the Man. But another American group has been making music with a clever combination of elaborate arrangements but with a melodic side, and lyrics that are often as creative as the band’s compositions. It’s the Mommyheads, who are based in the New York area, and are out with their 17^th album over a span of 38 years, called No Quietus, which is Latin for “no death.”

The Mommyheads are nothing if not prolific in recent years. They formed in 1987 when they were still in high school, but broke up after the members went their separate ways career-wise. For example, drummer Dan Fisherman became a mathematics professor, and principle songwriter Adam Elk, turned his attention to making commercial music for hire. But in 2008, the band reunited, and been releasing a steady stream of albums. Adam Elk told he that it is his intention to put out a new Mommyheads album every hear, and they are more or less keeping to that schedule, having issued albums every year since at least 2020. They also issued a remastered version of their very first album from 1987 earlier this year.

Though the Mommyheads has had a somewhat revolving cast of characters over the years, the new release features the same long-running personnel as their last album, One Eyed Band from 2024, with Michael Holt on keyboards, Jason McNair on bass and Dan Fisherman on drums and Adam Elk on lead vocals and guitars. As on their last album, jazz trumpeter John Sneider makes a guest appearance in some of the more elaborate arrangement.

With the album title referring to death, the topic finds its way into several of the album’s songs in different ways, though It’s hardly morbid. The group maintains their sound with their musically complicated compositions with lots of harmonic shifts and some unconventional time signatures. But as mentioned, like the British band XTC, whom the Elk and other members cite as an influence, there is a melodic often tuneful quality to their music despite the complications.

Opening is a piece called Triumph and Crash that in sound is all-out art rock, down to the vintage synthesizer sounds, as the lyrics advise staying true to one’s convictions despite the turbulence of the world. <<>>

The song called Black Veins is seemingly an abstruse consideration of personal relationships, while the band continues their trademark mix of a melodic pop sound with the harmonically elaborate composition. <<>>

The title track No Quietus is one of the highlights of the album. The lyrics address death and trying to avoid it. <<>>

Another of the stronger tracks on the album is Race Car Brain, a kind of character study of a perhaps obsessive risk-taker. <<>>

A track called The Beast Is Back is the sort of epitome of the art rock flair of the band, with an interesting composition and somewhat apocalyptic lyrics. <<>>

One the other hand, a bit more optimistic in outlook is a the song called Strong, about coping with the situation one has been dealt. The musical backing is appropriately more laid back. <<>>

Always Reaching is a sort of love song with a somewhat retro sound with hints of a disco beat. <<>>

The album ends with another philosophical take in an art rock setting. It’s Only Life has some of the best lyrics on No Quietus, a kind of valedictory on an album supposedly with death as its theme, taking a life-affirming stance. <<>>

No Quietus, the new 17^th album from the long-running band The Mommyheads is another feather in the band’s cap, with a great collection of sophisticated art-rock with lyrics that reflect on theme of the album, the consideration of death. Some of the songs take a fatalistic or even apocalyptic bent, but overall it’s not really dystopian, and offers some positive messages. As usual, the musicianship is high quality and the compositions are musically sophisticated in the art rock tradition.

Our grade for audio quality is about a B-plus for a good mix, but not much dynamics.

After about some 38 years, the Mommyheads are still in great form on their new album, that is among their best.

(c) Copyright 2025 George D. Graham. All rights reserved.
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<<>> indicates audio excerpt played in produced radio review

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