Send "Mamas Gun " Ringtones to your Cell 
| Popmatters |
 Look in your backyard. Some of the best music can be found right there. That’s certainly the reality for London audiences. While U.S. exports like Rihanna, Maroon 5, and Gym Class Heroes currently crown the pop charts in the U.K., London-based Mamas Gun, a five-piece soul-pop-funk-rock band, are doing more for the health of music than most top-selling acts on either side of the Atlantic. Following the group’s 2010 debut, Routes to Riches, Mamas Gun have re-emerged with The Life and Soul, a flawless set that captures the band frolicking in a wonderland of infectious melodies and vibrant musical motifs. To get a sense of the group’s orientation, consider some of the acts that individual band members have collaborated with or recorded with in recent years: Pharrell, Corinne Bailey Rae, Lewis Taylor, John Oates, Mungo Jerry, Leon Ware, Rod Temperton. Spanning generations, these artists and songwriters reside along a continuum of pop-based musical forms. Similarly, Mamas Gun blend a variety of sensibilities with producers Martin Terefe and Andreas Olsson (KT Tunstall, Jason Mraz, James Morrison) on The Life and Soul. In the space of two songs, there’s “The Art”, whose serene beauty and rounded harmonies would make Brian Wilson smile, and then the cathartic, acid rock-infused “Get a High”. In the space of just one song – “Rocket to the Moon” – the band incorporates a number of styles that seamlessly coalesce. Across 11 original tracks, plus a brilliant cover of Queen’s “Bicycle Race”, Mamas Gun deliver hooks in dividends and satisfy a wide swath of music lovers. “Reconnection” triggers the first round of hooks on the band’s second effort for the independent Candelion label. The opening 10 seconds produce an explosion of sound that then yields to the stripped-down yet propulsive interplay between bassist Rex Horan and drummer Jack Pollitt. With his soaring tenor, lead vocalist Andy Platts sings above a chorus whose rhythm drives like a modern-day Motown machine. A sense of whimsy permeates the track and is cleverly rendered in the song’s corresponding video, which maps colorful and irreverent imagery over the music. It’s well-conceived and well-executed: there’s perhaps no sequence better suited to the closing tag of “Reconnection” than the sight of Platts jumping over a hill and a rainbow of balloons rising from the ground....full text |
| Allgigs |
| Let's face it - Acid Jazz was a mixed bag back in the early '90s, with the possible exception of Jamiroquai, JTQ and a tune each from K-Creative and Galliano. Mama's Gun sound like a band that would have cleaned up during that period - I'm not so sure now, good though this album is. The PR fluff hints at Stevie Wonder, James Brown and Queen with regards to comparisons - brave comparisons indeed. Let's stop at Jamiroquai for now. "The Life And Soul" is the band's second album and constitutes a culmination of work with Grammy-winners, Martin Terefe and Andreas Olsson in the production box. In short, this is a big album, a sort of make-or-break collection that may, or may not, showcase this bubbling band's talents. For the most part, "The Life and Soul" IS the life and soul of the party. High points include the catchy string-laden hip-wiggling "On A String", issued as a single (and just missing out on our coveted recent Best Of The Rest award) and brimming with plenty of street-soul grooves. Then there's the strong '70s retro feel of "Only One", featuring the sumptuous vocals of Beverley Knight and a possible worthy single. You could also chuck in the near-Diwali soul-beat of "Inferno" and the cracking, if rather copyist, retake of "Bicycle Race" by Queen....full text |
| Femalefirst |
| Mamas Gun look set to become the next big thing with their new album The Life And Soul. It’s a great record that shows an impressive amount of influenced that are channelled to perfection. As if a bonus track cover of Queen’s ‘Bicycle Race’ wasn’t a big clue that Mamas Gun are influenced by the legendary quartet, the solo for the wonderful title track seems to channel the Queen vibe. It’s a stunning early moment that cements this album as something a bit special. The soul and emotion on ballad ‘We Make It Look So Easy’ has easy crossover appeal after the recent success of Plan B’s soul album The Defamation of Strickland Banks. For all the talk of their influences, Mamas Gun certainly have their own sound, carried by beautiful vocals against simple but effective instrumentation. Defining Mamas Gun as a pop album is, whilst at times accurate, doing the band’s diversity as disservice. They cover a huge range of styles, with ‘On A String’ feeling like a soul-funk track from decades ago. That’s not to say it feels old or “retro”, rather it feels almost timeless. The Life And Sound is an album that has a wide scope of genres, with tracks that could bit hits in a huge range of scenes....full text |
Mamas Gun lyrics
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