Mother Mother

Biography

Mother Mother is a Canadian indie rock band based on Quadra Island, British Columbia. The band consists of Ryan Guldemond on guitar and vocals, Molly Guldemond and Jasmin Parkin on vocals and keyboard, Ali Siadat on drums, and Mike Young on bass. Longtime bassist Jeremy Page left the band in 2016.
After forming in 2005, they independently released their self-titled debut album the same year under the name Mother, featuring a "Three headed rooster" as the cover art. They later changed their name to Mother Mother, and re-released the album on Last Gang Records in 2007, with the cover art as a "five headed rooster", retitled Touch Up. The reissue also featured several new songs.
The band's second album, O My Heart, was released on September 16, 2008; their third album, Eureka×Eureka15 March 2011 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Chasing It Down4:102The Stand2:573Baby Don’t Dance3:314Original Spin3:325Born in a Flash3:116Simply Simple3:337Problems3:288Aspiring Fires3:349Getaway3:4010Far in Time3:2111Oleander3:2112Calm Me Down4:42, was released on March 15, 2011; their fourth album, The Sticks×The Sticks18 July 2012 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1Omen1:072The Sticks4:033Let’s Fall in Love3:084Business Man3:215Dread in My Heart2:326Infinitesimal2:577Happy3:588Bit by Bit3:189Latter Days3:3010Little Pistol4:2911Love It Dissipates3:0012The Cry Forum4:0313Waiting for the World to End4:2314To the Wild3:5115Cesspool of Love3:0616All Gone3:45, was released on September 18, 2012; and their fifth album, Very Good Bad Thing×Very Good Bad Thing4 November 2014 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube MusicTracklist · 10 tracks1Get Out the Way2:452Monkey Tree3:283Modern Love3:114Reaper Man4:405I Go Hungry3:376Have It Out3:397Very Good Bad Thing4:068Kept Down4:199Shout If You Know3:0710Alone and Sublime5:45 was released on November 4, 2014, with an American release of April 7, 2015, on Def Jam Recordings. Their sixth album, No Culture×No Culture10 February 2017 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Free3:232Love Stuck3:413The Drugs3:134Back in School3:135Letter3:546Baby Boy3:267Mouth of the Devil3:408No Culture3:369Everything Is Happening4:0610Family3:1211Empty Hands3:0312Worry3:5313Cut the String5:02, was released on February 10, 2017, with yet another Def Jam Recordings release in the United States.
Their seventh album, Dance and Cry×Dance and Cry2 November 2018 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1I Must Cry Out Loud4:412Dance and Cry3:173Get Up3:244So Down3:015Good at Loving You2:386Biting on a Rose1:397It's Alright2:558Give Me Back the Night3:099Back to Life2:4510Only Love4:1311Bottom Is a Rock3:3312Keep4:51, was released on November 2, 2018. In late 2020, the band's music went viral on TikTok, causing a surge in streams. Their eighth studio album, Inside×Inside25 June 2021 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Seven2:082Two2:373Sick of the Silence3:084Forgotten Souls2:565Pure Love3:316Weep3:277I Got Love2:528Stay Behind5:079The Knack3:0010Girl Alone3:2511Like a Child2:3312Breathe2:0013Until It Doesn’t Hurt2:5514Inside8:29, was released on June 25, 2021, on Warner Brothers Music. On January 28, 2022, the band released a deluxe version of Inside, containing seven new songs. On February 16 2024, their ninth album, Grief Chapter×Grief Chapter16 February 2024 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Nobody Escapes2:552To My Heart3:063Explode!2:314Head Shrink3:155Days2:566Forever5:507Normalize4:208Goddamn Staying Power1:179The Matrix3:2210God’s Plan4:1811End of Me3:2612Grief Chapter3:12, was released. Their tenth album, Nostalgia×Nostalgia6 June 2025 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Love to Death3:332Make Believe2:593Station Wagon2:544ON AND ON (Song for Jasmin)2:315Better of Me2:446Namaste2:507FINGER2:598Me & You2:139Little Mistake3:0810Mano a Mano3:1311Nostalgia4:0712To Regret3:34, was released on June 6, 2025.

2005–2006: Early career, Mother

The band began in Heriot Bay, British Columbia in January 2005, when guitarist and vocalist Ryan Guldemond was at music school and wanted to start a band based on vocal-driven pop songs. He recruited his sister Molly along with a friend from college, Debra-Jean Creelman, to accompany his own vocals for the songs he had written, and the trio played as an acoustic act before adding drummer Kenton Loewen and bassist Jeremy Page.

The five members started off playing under the name Mother, and in the fall of 2005, they independently released a self-titled album. This debut album was recorded with Howard Redekopp, who had also worked with the New Pornographers and Tegan and Sara. When the Vancouver Province rated Mother as one of the top five BC bands to watch for in 2007, they began to receive acclaim for their debut album. Shortly thereafter, Mother landed a nationally broadcast concert opening for K'naan and the Wailin' Jennys. In the summer of 2006, they opened for the Australian band The Cat Empire at the sold-out Vancouver International Jazz Festival. Later that year, they made their debut in central Canada at the Montreal International Jazz Festival on June 29 as well as in Toronto on July 1, Canada Day, at the Harbourfront Centre.

2006–2012: Touch Up, O My Heart, and Eureka

In October 2006, after playing a set at the Pop Montreal festival, Mother met with Last Gang Records and later signed a four-album contract. At that point, the label encouraged the band to change their name to avoid legal issues, and they renamed themselves Mother Mother. On February 20, 2007, the band re-released its debut album under the new name, renaming the album Touch Up×Touch Up27 February 2007 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Dirty Town2:352Polynesia2:233Angry Sea3:084Oh Ana3:205Legs Away3:566Love and Truth3:387Train of Thought2:448Verbatim2:519Neighbour4:4210Ball Cap3:2311Tic Toc1:3412Touch Up3:5713Little Hands2:30 and including two new songs, as well as artwork and overdubs different from the original.

The band released their second album, O My Heart, in 2008. Later that year, on December 3, it was announced that Debra-Jean Creelman had left Mother Mother; on January 26, 2009, the band announced the addition of a new singer/keyboardist, Jasmin Parkin.
Mother Mother's third album, Eureka×Eureka15 March 2011 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Chasing It Down4:102The Stand2:573Baby Don’t Dance3:314Original Spin3:325Born in a Flash3:116Simply Simple3:337Problems3:288Aspiring Fires3:349Getaway3:4010Far in Time3:2111Oleander3:2112Calm Me Down4:42, was released on March 15, 2011. The album's lead single, "The Stand", entered the Canada Singles Top 100 chart in May 2011 and peaked during that week at position 76. The album prompted a reviewer at the Toronto Star to describe the band as "evolving into orchestral harmonies and hip hop-influenced power ballads, as if Adam Lambert had joined The Dirty Projectors". This album has two bonus tracks; "In The Wings" and "Carve a Name."
On January 9, 2012, Kraft Foods launched a series of television commercials featuring the song "Bright Idea×Bright Idea17 January 2012 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Bright Idea2:38".

2012–2018: The Sticks, Very Good Bad Thing, and No Culture

Mother Mother's fourth album, The Sticks×The Sticks18 July 2012 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1Omen1:072The Sticks4:033Let’s Fall in Love3:084Business Man3:215Dread in My Heart2:326Infinitesimal2:577Happy3:588Bit by Bit3:189Latter Days3:3010Little Pistol4:2911Love It Dissipates3:0012The Cry Forum4:0313Waiting for the World to End4:2314To the Wild3:5115Cesspool of Love3:0616All Gone3:45, was released on September 18, 2012. It contains 14 tracks along with 2 bonus tracks "Cesspool of Love" and "All Gone," and was co-produced by the band frontman Ryan Guldemond and producer Ben Kaplan. The first single, "Let's Fall in Love", was released on July 17. They performed this song on their Canadian tour in 2012, playing in hometown Vancouver on December 19.
In 2014, the band signed with Universal Music Canada to produce their fifth album, Very Good Bad Thing×Very Good Bad Thing4 November 2014 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube MusicTracklist · 10 tracks1Get Out the Way2:452Monkey Tree3:283Modern Love3:114Reaper Man4:405I Go Hungry3:376Have It Out3:397Very Good Bad Thing4:068Kept Down4:199Shout If You Know3:0710Alone and Sublime5:45, which was released on November 4, 2014. The first single from the album, "Get Out the Way×Get Out the Way24 July 2014 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Get Out the Way2:46" was released on July 15, 2014. The album contains 10 tracks and 2 bonus tracks: "No One To Nothing" and "Jump the Fence."
Mother Mother played the City of Brampton, Ontario's New Year's festivities at the end of 2016. On November 25, 2016, the band announced their Canadian No Culture Tour. Their tour began in New Brunswick in February 2017 and ended in British Columbia at the end of March 2017.
On February 10, 2017, their sixth album No Culture×No Culture10 February 2017 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Free3:232Love Stuck3:413The Drugs3:134Back in School3:135Letter3:546Baby Boy3:267Mouth of the Devil3:408No Culture3:369Everything Is Happening4:0610Family3:1211Empty Hands3:0312Worry3:5313Cut the String5:02 was released. The lead single from the album, "The Drugs×The Drugs4 November 2016 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1The Drugs3:13", was released on November 4, 2016.

2018–2022: Dance and Cry and Inside

On November 2, 2018, the band released their seventh studio album Dance and Cry×Dance and Cry2 November 2018 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1I Must Cry Out Loud4:412Dance and Cry3:173Get Up3:244So Down3:015Good at Loving You2:386Biting on a Rose1:397It's Alright2:558Give Me Back the Night3:099Back to Life2:4510Only Love4:1311Bottom Is a Rock3:3312Keep4:51. The first single from the album, "Get Up×Get Up14 September 2018 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Get Up3:24", was released on September 14, 2018. The band supported the album with the Dance and Cry tour, playing 26 shows across North America, starting on February 7, 2019, in Vancouver and ending March 16, 2019, in Buffalo, New York. The tour included a sold out show at New York's Gramercy Theatre.

Starting in late 2020, songs from their 2008 album, O My Heart, went viral on the video-sharing platform TikTok, causing their music to reach new streaming highs. The songs, in particular "Hayloft×Hayloft19 April 2010 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Hay Loft2:422Wrecking Ball3:14", "Arms Tonite", "Wrecking Ball" and "Burning Pile", became popular, with videos including cosplay and gothic fashion. Although no particular event caused the surge, the band's music did resonate with non-binary communities, as users played Mother Mother songs while discussing gender-related topics. Lead vocalist, Ryan Guldemond, described the surge as a "high honor and huge compliment whenever it's suggested that our music might serve as an adequate soundtrack to a courageous journey of self-discovery that often rubs against societal norms". Guldemond further reiterated that their early music "really struggled to fit neatly into the industry standards of either a rock or pop format [...] I sang straight from my throat and had a much more androgynous tone. It was very rich with unisexual harmonies, as well as eccentric, quirky, daring lyrics. Perhaps it's just the right time for people to understand that music".
Although the band had not planned on making new music, in October 2020, they stated to Rolling Stone that they were completing their eighth album at The Warehouse Studio in Vancouver. Dubbed a "pandemic album", it would contain the "energy from the earlier catalog". On March 9, 2021, Mother Mother released the singles "I Got Love" and "Stay Behind". On April 8, 2021, Mother Mother announced their eighth studio album Inside×Inside25 June 2021 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Seven2:082Two2:373Sick of the Silence3:084Forgotten Souls2:565Pure Love3:316Weep3:277I Got Love2:528Stay Behind5:079The Knack3:0010Girl Alone3:2511Like a Child2:3312Breathe2:0013Until It Doesn’t Hurt2:5514Inside8:29, due for release on June 25 on Warner Brothers Music. The band also released a video for "I Got Love" made up of clips sent in by fans. They released their following single from Inside, "Sick of the Silence×Sick of The Silence11 June 2021 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1Sick of the Silence3:082Forgotten Souls2:553Pure Love3:304I Got Love2:525Stay Behind5:06", on June 10, 2021. Alongside the release of Inside, the band announced the Canadian leg of the Inside tour, which began on December 2, 2021, in Vancouver and ended on May 20, 2022, in Ottawa.
The band released the deluxe version of Inside on January 28, 2022. It included the single, "Life," a sequel to their most popular song "Hayloft," a piano demo for the song "Like A Child" from the main album, and four other new songs.
In November 2022, Mother Mother released a single titled "Cry Christmas×Cry Christmas9 November 2022 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Cry Christmas3:172Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas2:16", along with a cover of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas". The single was described by the band on Twitter as "a holiday song for the holiday-disenfranchised".

2023–present: Grief Chapter, Mother EP, DEMMOS, and Nostalgia

In November 2023, Mother Mother announced the title and release date of their ninth album, Grief Chapter×Grief Chapter16 February 2024 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Nobody Escapes2:552To My Heart3:063Explode!2:314Head Shrink3:155Days2:566Forever5:507Normalize4:208Goddamn Staying Power1:179The Matrix3:2210God’s Plan4:1811End of Me3:2612Grief Chapter3:12, as well as its tracklist. The 12-track album was released on February 16, 2024.
On September 28, 2024, Mother Mother released the Mother EP, an EP of tracks from Mother which had never been released on streaming platforms. A few months later, on November 14, Mother Mother released DEMMOS, an album containing previously unreleased song demos.
In early March 2025, Mother Mother announced and released a new single, Make Believe for their 20th year of making music. It is one of 12 tracks on their 10th studio album Nostalgia×Nostalgia6 June 2025 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Love to Death3:332Make Believe2:593Station Wagon2:544ON AND ON (Song for Jasmin)2:315Better of Me2:446Namaste2:507FINGER2:598Me & You2:139Little Mistake3:0810Mano a Mano3:1311Nostalgia4:0712To Regret3:34, which was released on June 6, 2025.