MP3 is the third studio album from York Calling favourites Madame Psychosis.
By Graeme Smith
Feature photo by Lynsey Walker
Since discovering the Canadian indie rock band around this time last year, we’ve rarely missed an opportunity to share their music. In fact, several of their new album’s singles have already graced these pages, including Hopeless, Revolution, Foxtail and Charlie’s Story.
Now we have the chance to see how the tracks fit into the wider story of their third studio album, MP3. It has been described as their “most ambitious and emotionally charged project to date” and we have certainly seen the emotion brought in their recent singles.
The album’s central thesis is to embrace authenticity and one’s true self in a world in which we are pressured to fake certain parts of ourselves, particularly on social media. It delves deep into the psychology, emotion and societal sides of this theme, speaking on the personal as well as the political, including topics such as racism and capitalism.
The conversation is broached by delicate piano-led opener I’ll Go before we launch into Anywhere With You, a soulful, searching moment that tells a striking story of escape. Its riffs are raw and its vocals passionate. It’s a powerful start.
Lucky is the album’s most recently released single, coinciding with the launch of the album. It’s a driving, defiant number that calls out our growing dependency and obsession with new technology while seeking genuine connection. Its classic indie rock melody makes it a memorable early highlight.
Other highlights include the bluesy Hopeless, the swinging, world-weary Foxtail, the hard-hitting anthem Revolution and slow-building album-closing odyssey Nightmares.
Madame Psychosis are one of the most original bands I’ve featured on this blog and their new album has truly cemented my love for their sound. MP3 is an album with plenty to say all channelled through a familiar yet unique style of indie rock. It’s a gem.
MP3 was co-produced, recorded and mixed by Alex Gamble at Union Sound Company, Raventape Music Room and Poetic Groove Productions in Toronto, Canada. It’s out now and you can give it a listen below.
