Steven Tyler impregnated a Playmate of the Month, Gene Simmons boasts that he’s been with over 4,600 women and even Lyle Lovett got to marry Julia Roberts. The occasionally-proven music industry myth that ugly dudes can make themselves infinitely more attractive with a little musical talent has resulted in a nation of less-than-remarkable-looking guys endlessly practicing Stairway to Heaven in their bedrooms.

This reasoning was likely not the case when Vancouver guitarist/vocalist Ryan Guldemond decided to form Mother Mother five years ago. The band is attractive, and the rest of Canada seems to agree, as Ryan’s sister, Mother Mother’s vocalist Molly Guldemond, was recently nominated “Sexiest Musician” for CBC Radio 3’s Bucky Awards.

Aside from being easy on the eyes, Mother Mother is a real treat for the ears.

The standout boy-girl harmonies and upbeat rhythms that spatter their 2007 debut Touch Up and its 2008 follow-up O My Heart have won the acclaim of critics and fans alike. The latter release earned a spot in the top five on iTunes’ 2008 Albums of the Year chart.

Ryan Guldemond expressed his intent to keep the momentum going as Mother Mother embarked on a Canada-wide tour opening for Matthew Good last week.

“We want platinum records so that we know that our music has touched a lot of people, and money in order to be comfortable and to, you know, eat, but it’s all to fuel the love of music,” Guldemond said by phone from the road.

With the anticipation for a third Mother Mother offering mounting, Guldemond has been frantically trying to find a balance between writing, recording and touring, and is optimistic that they will reach their goal for a summer 2010 release.

Guldemond explained that the basic framework of Mother Mother’s sound will remain consistent on their third release, but the way the band interprets the songs has been changing. He’s ultimately hoping to attain an edgier, dancier sound.

“[Our] sound is very organic and we’re drawing on other sources for inspiration,” Guldemond said.

He lists influences like the Pixies, Radiohead, Talking Heads and “all those other head bands,” as well as the late Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean for the drumbeat on their hit single Body of Years.

Mother Mother are standing on the shoulders of some pretty big giants. But, they believe that their music speaks for itself and keep their live performances free of pyrotechnics and lasers – which is more than can be said for Mr. Simmons or Mr. Tyler.

Published in Volume 64, Number 12 of The Uniter (November 19, 2009)