Mourn | Parklife DC

Mourn (Photo courtesy Captured Tracks)

Yes, Mourn are very young.

Much already has been made of the fact that three members of the alt-rock band from Barcelona are only 18 years old. The fourth member? Only 15 years old.

But their capabilities defy their age when they take the stage, as they did for a half-full room at DC9 on Monday night. Vocalists Carla Pérez Fas and Jazz Rodríguez Bueno front the band with guitars, and it’s said they take inspiration from PJ Harvey and Patti Smith. But to listen to the resplendent sound of their playing, you might believe them to be the progeny of the New York City 70s punk sound pioneered by Television.

Mourn also enjoy songs that are direct and to the point, meaning they often clock in at under 3 minutes. They are touring in support of their self-titled debut album, which contains the single “Gertrudis, Get Through This!” Mourn released the official video for “Gertrudis” yesterday, and it features a black and white video of the band in performance.

Mourn (Photo courtesy Captured Tracks)

Three young women and a childhood friend coming together to record lo-fi punk tracks in Barcelona might sound like the premise of a Woody Allenesque indie film, but the Catalan quartet Mourn are here for real.

Mourn released their self-titled debut LP on Captured Tracks back in February, and they have traveled the world to land at DC9 in support of it on Monday, July 13.

Vocalists Carla Pérez Fas and Jazz Rodríguez Bueno do indeed occasionally sound mournful, but just as often they sound soulful, as they whip through three-minute rock compositions that reinvent 50s and 60s love song sentiments into modern punk numbers — in a way that very much reflects that they identify The Ramones as their heroes.

Often these songs reflect a young punky woman’s views on love — such as “Your Brain Is Made of Candy” or “Boys Are Cunts” — but just as often they dwell on surprisingly deeper struggles in songs like “Dark Issues” and single “Gertrudis, Get Through This!”

Listen to “Gertrudis, Get Through This!” on Soundcloud:
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/203926260″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Note that Carla and Jazz are 18, as is Jazz’s childhood friend drummer Antonio Postius Echeverría. The bassist is Jazz’s sister, age 15.

These kids sound really good for being so young, which perhaps is what makes them so authentic. Check them out and experience the global impact of New York’s ‘70s punk on music today. DC noisepop quartet Big Moth open the show.

Tickets are available online and at the door.

Mourn
w/ Big Moth
Monday, July 13
Doors @8:30pm
$12-14
All ages

Music Park: Mourn @ DC9 — 7/13/15

Don’t Miss: Mourn @ DC9, 7/13/15