Mariage Blanc first caught my ear almost a decade ago, when they submitted their first release, Broken Record. The Pittsburgh act is still going strong, with their latest album Mirror Phrase showing an emotional rock sound, represented well by track “Angela.” Haunting guitars and quaint vocals lead to a very memorable “she’s my girl,” repetition as looming strings take hold. I’m reminded fondly of The Clientele, in terms of aesthetic. The swirling guitars are active throughout, highlighting a guitar presence that was no doubt aided by beginner guitar lessons at some point.
The album still has more shimmering efforts in the vein of past tracks like “Marquee” — such as “Gravel Shrines” and “Losing Touch” — though also with gems like “Angela” shows an emotional range that’s evidence of this act’s continued growth and undeniable songwriting strengths.
Stream Mirror Phrase in full below:
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“Angela” and other memorable tracks from this month can also be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Best of May 2019’ Spotify playlist.