Review: Meghan Trainor - Mother
- by Phil Arnold
- in Reviews
Meghan Trainor needs little introduction. As one of pop's most celebrated artists, she is back with new music that will undoubtedly gain her more critical acclaim, as her talent in songwriting and performance is seldom equalled around the globe.
On first listen, I was confused by "Mother." I expected this to be a song about Meghan Trainor and her new delights of motherhood, but this is certainly not the case. You get that hint very early on with one of the world's most famous mothers, Kris Jenner, featuring in the video. You get the hint that this is going to lack more of a punch than a charming song about being a parent. And so it is! "Mother" is more a criticism of the treatment that female artists can still get in the music industry, even for someone with Trainor’s experience and credibility. We can infer from the lyrics that there is a sense of not being heard and spoken down to, all of which result in this powerfully worded response aimed to right some of the wrongs that women still face.
In "Mother," you will hear a recognizable sample from the 1954 song "Mr. Sandman," recorded by Pat Ballard, as the theme that drives the song. Meghan Trainor has closely followed a 50s-style vocal line too, with close harmonies and lines jammed full of lyrics. But, with a clever working of the sound through modern mastering, she has created a completely fresh upbeat pop song that is proving a popular stream on media platforms already. What I liked more than anything is the subtle nod to an era of popular culture (the 1950s), where male dominance was prevalent, and using that theme as the undertone to a song that continues to fight for women's voices to be heard in a mass industry is another layer of genius to Meghan Trainor the artist’s talent. I know that this song will create a huge viral sensation for Trainor, and we hope it goes some way to balancing the dominance in the music industry.
