Canadian band, Martha and the Muffins shot to worldwide fame in 1980 with their on the spot basic, ‘Echo Seashore’, however the group from Toronto have at all times been a lot multiple tune. First fashioned in 1977, they’ve gone by means of a spread of incarnations and line-ups, however their most up-to-date, comprising unique MatM members Martha Johnson and Mark Gane, nonetheless retains their attribute highly effective sound.
With their newest launch, a canopy of Buffalo Springfield’s 1966 basic, ‘For What It’s Value’, Martha and the Muffins imbue Stephen Stills’ poignant lyrics with a therapy that’s slower, darker, and extra related than ever. Again within the 60s, gun violence was one thing that was stunning, uncommon, and unacceptable; one way or the other alongside the way in which it’s grow to be a lot part of day by day life, that folks barely lookup after they hear of or see it. Martha and the Muffins are conscious of this shift, and see it for what it’s: a blight on society, “a perverse virus perpetuated by hypocrites mouthing their meaningless recitations of ‘ideas and prayers’”.
They maintain the texture of the unique instrumentation, 60s type synths and guitars, a sombre rhythm held along with regular drumming, feeling each bit like a heartbeat. Gane takes the lead on the verses, joined by Martha on the refrain, and the result’s sobering, virtually sinister. ‘For What It’s Value’ is accompanied by a music video, directed by Jason Ciapparrone. Talking concerning the clip, Mark Gane stated,
After I had the idea for this and was trying round for a collaborator I had already seen a few of Jason Cipparrone’s work each as a nonetheless photographer and filmmaker. I believed his strategy to black and white pictures specifically would actually work with the idea of the video. The video was shot on location at The Solely Café and Kops Data in Toronto, with the assistance of some family and friends members who volunteered to behave.
Shot in black and white, in and round Toronto, the clip follows two “gun heads” as they go about their day. They’re folks with literal weapons for heads – and but no person batt an eyelid at them, at the same time as they stroll the streets, browse the albums in a report retailer, cheering at a softball sport, or purchase groceries. It’s a stark visible reminder of how desensitised we’ve grow to be to it throughout us. It’s made all of the extra transferring once you learn the caption to the video, and see that it’s devoted to the reminiscence of Russell and Lorraine Manock, who misplaced their lives in a mass capturing in Vaughan, Ontario, again in 2022.
‘For What It’s Value’ is out now, and could be streamed and downloaded right here. Watch the music video beneath. You will discover out extra about Martha and the Muffins and their music on-line on Instagram, Spotify, Apple Music, and their official web site.
