Only a Mother

about

A quite unique band from Detroit and other southeast Michigan localities. Only A Mother existed from approximately 1987 to 1994, though Frank Pahl, the main songwriter and genius behind the group, continues his own solo work, which resembles in style the OaM sound, a sound best described as "avant garde noise-folk". Only a Mother used only acoustic instruments to create very strange songs, often with pop structures but with bizarre instrumentation and arrangements, extended techniques, strange time signatures and keys, and harmonic references to other ethnicities (Balkan, Middle Eastern, and Celtic especially) . The lyrics were often quite surreal as well, with subjects ranging from contortionists to talking bricks to Bill Hickok. One song even depicts a young boy making a misguided, dream-like correlation between his masturbation and the old alligators in New York City sewers myth. Other artists somewhat resembling them are The Residents, Renaldo & the Loaf, the Art Bears, and more recently Charming Hostess and the Tin Hat Trio. Only A Mother worked with a variety of collaborators, including Eugene Chadbourne (they appear on his LSDC&W album, and he plays guest guitar and banjo on their first album, as well as sitting in on many live gigs) and the Shaking Ray Levis, but their core members were: Frank Pahl - vocal, guitar, prepared mandolin, balalaika, euphonium, whistling Bobbi Benson - upright bass, trumpet, vocals Marko Novachcoff - cello, various reeds Mary Richards -

top songs

albums

Feral Chickens

Eyesore: A Stab At The Residents

Naked Songs For Contortionists

Ridding White Alligators

Damned Pretty Snout

Riding White Alligators

The Romantic Warped

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Goobers - A Collection Of Kids Songs

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Eyesore: A Stab At The Residents (The Residents Tribute)

Dusty Nuggets

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Eyesore:A Stab at The Residents

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A Stab at the Residents

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