Steph Knipe leads New York's Adult Mom - a band name that would be a Googlewhack if dodgy sounding porn flicks weren't included in searches. The State University of New York student, with the help of bandmates Bruce Hamilton, Jen Sinski and KT McManus, has been gigging hard. I Make Boys Cry, Knipe says on one of their many catchy tunes - I believe her. Knipe used her music to come out and talks a lot about the confusion of a “queer” identity and her relationship with her parents as a result.
What do Adult Mom sound like?
Knipe's strong American twang and stripped back sensibilities give the band's songs a country-feel but Knipe's spiky lyrics make them a far more edgy prospect (*I got time to lie and for sex that's trite/I'll take back what is fucking mine and you won't get a single dime*, she sings on One Night Stands). Her chirpy, child-like voice takes in everything from Diane Cluck's sharp edges to Cat Power's silky tones. She also talks of playings Rilo Kiley covers and definitely explores some similar themes on relationships as Jenny Lewis' lot.
What have they done?
Last year's debut EP on Miscreant Records followed a string of Bandcamp releases and a maiden record, out on Tiny Engines, called Momentary Lapse of Happily is out on July 28. Their touring has largely been restricted to the US but her twee sensibilities mean us Brits will doubtless be clamouring for Knipe's appearance soon enough. Survival, the catchy lead single from the new album, is a particular highpoint - get it.
What are people saying?
“[The band's] confidence comes through on the lush and cushiony Momentary Lapse Of Happily, whose clean-cut sound recalls Jenny Lewis, or contemporaries like Frankie Cosmos and Waxahatchee. The instrumentation usually bounces around in a way that the lyrics decidedly don’t, bolstering anxious feelings with an infectious, disarming energy.” - James Rettig, Stereogum
What does Steph look like creeping through the woods?
