Martha has been building a name on the DIY scene for quite some time. I know I saw them, probably close to 10 years ago, opening for Toys That Kill or some related band. But they don’t play scrappy punk. They dabble more in power-pop that’s built around tight songwriting chops and melodies that stick with you. Britpop meets the basement scene.
While they have quite the discography already, Please Don’t Take Me Back is my first deep dive review from their catalog. And it has me regretting that I didn’t do this sooner because, not only is the record really good, it’s the kind of songwriting that just gets better on repeat.
“Beat, Perpetual” starts out like a classic pop song, from back when pop music was played with actual instruments. It’s big, catchy, and spoken directly to you, the listener. It has that rock ‘n’ roll swagger, even though it’s really all about the melody instead of the ‘tude. And, while it feels uplifting, let’s just glance back at the album title again, because I think it sets the appropriate mood. This record is upbeat, meaning it’s rhythmically uplifting, but the lyrics are dark once you get past the bouncy veneer. I mean, the second song is called “Every Day The Hope Gets Harder,” which I think succinctly sums up how we all feel since about 2016. Sure, it’s a little dramatic. But this is music that’s meant for singalongs, so it needs to jump to the point.
One of the notable points of this record is that different singers and songwriters all share the spotlight, and they all shine in unique but unified ways. You hear the different voices, but they go together seamlessly. Sometimes there are ‘60s garage rock tones, at others ‘90s quirkiness, all balanced with pop energy, dramatic balladry, and some nicely mixed guitar rock where the solos hit but don’t feel gratuitous. To cherry pick details, “Baby Does Your Heart Sink” is a straight-up pop song, complete with “baby” lyrics, but it doesn’t feel ironic or cute. It just works when paired with the deep rock roots that all come together into Martha’s dark and defiant pop sound.
