New Releases: Adult Mom

One of my favorite trends of the past decade or so is the rise of boldly idiosyncratic young women (or, in the present case, genderqueer) singer-songwriters, raised in a world shaped by the likes of Liz Phair and Juliana Hatfield, quietly releasing records in the guise of band-names with revolving casts of musicians. Waxahatchee, of course, but also Snail Mail, Soccer Mommy... and Adult Mom.

Natural Causes is the fourth proper LP from Stevie Knipe and Adult Mom (following some lo-fi bedroom recordings). There are some sparse, confessional tracks, but the album shines brightest where, as on 2021's fantastic Driver, the band rock out a bit (while still emphasizing Knipe's intimate vocals). Tunes like opener "Door Is Your Hand" and "You In June" offer some lively hooks to grab your attention; others add some multi-layered touches, fully-realized and boisterous, like the epic "Crystal" and colorful "Burned Off."

Lots of great stuff here. Check it out on Bandcamp. (And pick up Driver while you're there!)

"You In June":

"Door Is Your Hand":

"Crystal":

"Burned Off":