What’s on ACSOM’s Stereo? Martin Donaldson takes a look at the return of Mumm-Ra

After a wait of almost 13 years, Mumm-Ra have returned to the studio to work on new material. The six-piece band from Bexhill on Sea released their new single, titled Summer, just as the UK started adjusting to life under social distancing measures. The unmistakable sound of this south coast indie band is alive and well after a long hiatus from touring and recording. Accompanying the release of the new single is a rarities collection of b-sides, previously unreleased tracks and demos available on Apple music and Spotify.

The new anthem Summer has already enjoyed some airtime on BBC Music Introducing, and with a definite hint of The Cure, the latest single has a feel-good melody that will have you in love whatever the day. Fans of the band will instantly recognise the harmony from earlier single releases Out of the Question, What Would Steve Do? and She’s Got You High.

A lengthy apprenticeship of live shows and EP releases saw the school friends rewarded with a deal with Columbia Records where they produced their only studio album to date – These Things Move in Threes in 2007. The album release coincided with the NME Shockwaves tour catapulting the band on stage with Scottish indie favourites The View, Welsh rockers The Automatic and English band The Horrors on a 17-date jaunt over the UK and Ireland.

The years of playing live from 2000 up until 2007 gave Mumm-Ra that extra stage presence in opening up the tour for some of the most raucous acts on the road at the time. Their performance and set-list were blistering and fearless, allowing the band to take to the road themselves for a UK tour including a sell-out night at King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut in Glasgow where the energy between fans and band was simply electric.

Listen to GIANNI CAPALDI with A Celtic State of Mind here:

Unfortunately, the group have already had to pull their UK tour planned for April this year because of the global pandemic, but with the promise of additional new tracks later this year we will hopefully be hearing more from the angelic tones of James New on vocals, bassist Niall Buckler, Tommy Bowen on keyboard, drummer Gareth Jennings and guitarists James Arguile and Oli Frost, again both from the studio and on stage.

While we wait patiently at home for more music from the band, now is as good a time as any to reacquaint yourself with Mumm-Ra’s debut album from 2007, with more than a few tracks you will instantly recognise from a number of movies, TV shows and commercials, maybe helping to light up your room.

Martin Donaldson

Watch A Celtic State of Mind at the Stevie Chalmers Auction here:

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