Don’t let the name fool you. Kristine Leschper’s solo project-turned-full band isn’t composed of anyone who has given birth in the literal sense. But considering the time, energy and love that’s gone into crafting and composing songs, in addition to the band’s energetic delivery, the four-piece math-rock outfit known as Mothers seems to possess parenting sensibility.
Leschper, 25, likes how the name rolls off her tongue, and she finds a metaphorical comparison between songwriting and motherhood.
“It came from the idea of motherhood being this sort of tragic event where you are the creator of something. It’s very much this vessel, like a piece of yourself, and then you have to kind of let it out into the world,” says Leschper. “The act of being a creator of songs is kind of tragic in the same way. You put so much of yourself into something and then you kind of let it go at the end.”
Mothers was conceived during Leschper’s junior year of college at Lamar Dodd School of Art, following two years in which she performed solo at venues around Athens, Georgia, where the group is based.
“I really enjoyed that for a while. I had always kind of wanted for it to become a full band but, to be honest, I was really terrified about playing with other people,” she says. “I didn’t feel like I would be able to keep up, as far as my musicianship and being able to play guitar.”
But after consulting with fellow musicians, some of whom she’d worked with in the past and knew through Athens’ scene, Leschper decided it was time to expand.
For drummer Matthew Anderegg, the decision was met with caution. “There was concern that a full band might not convey a lot of the things that were being implied when Kristine played alone,” says Anderegg. “Because even though it’s very minimal, it kind of implied much grander ideas and sounds and things like that.”
Guitarist Drew Kirby chimes in on the process. “We didn’t just want to add parts if it was going to get in the way or misinterpret what was already there,” he says.
Once Anderegg and Kirby were on board, a temporary bass player (live shows feature Patrick Morales on bass) stepped in to record on the band’s debut album, When You Walk a Long Distance You Are Tired.
The album, produced by Drew Vandenberg (Deerhunter, Of Montreal), will be released on February 26, and Mothers has already been dubbed a “band to watch” by Papermag, Spotify, Stereogum and other music press. Leschper is happy about the early buzz, but also finds it rather bizarre.
“It’s pretty weird and a little intimidating at times,” she says. “I don’t really feel like it’s affecting what we’re doing but it is really strange.”
She hopes the record will be viewed as a kind of separate entity from the group’s live shows, which are louder and more experimental. Leschper says the songs on the album were recorded much earlier and that the band has developed alternate versions and new material after steady touring.
“We’re more well-seasoned now,” says Leschper. “When we made the record, we’d played like a show or two, so things changed. I would say that the live shows are a little bit heavier, more figured out and more sure-footed.”
The band’s first single, “No Crying In Baseball,” which appeared on a music compilation and is not featured on the album, is one that concertgoers will only hear live.
Leschper says the song didn’t quite fit in on the album because it was written a year after the other tracks. But like other songs that Leschper has penned, there’s an emotional depth that shines through.
“There’s a kind of power and strength in it for me,” she says. “I really enjoy the catharsis of it.”
The song places an emphasis on being transparent with feelings. “At the core, it’s talking about people kind of wanting to be in control of your emotions and the fact that people are ridiculed for being sensitive, especially men,” says Leschper. “I think being overly sensitive is a quality that’s really special and it shouldn’t be so heavily criticized.”
For other songs like “It Hurts Until It Doesn’t,” which is featured on the album, she writes about finding balance between the ego and self-doubt as an artist and/or creative person.
Leschper majored in printmaking in college, and designed the art for the album, which will be offered as a limited edition with a poetry chapbook.
While the band members are eager for the album’s upcoming release, they’re looking forward to a lengthy tour and the release of another EP by the end of the year.
“I encourage people to not have specific expectations for it,” Leschper says. “I think that the most important thing about Mothers is for people to not expect it to be this singular thing because I expect that every record we make will be pretty different from the last. We’ve evolved a lot, so our records will just keep growing and changing.”
Mothers performs February 7 at The Southern Café & Music Hall.
–Anita Overcash