Mouths of Babes have honed their songwriting over decades of touring — both as a duo and separately. Ty Greenstein (Girlyman) and Ingrid Elizabeth (Coyote Grace.) The married couple bring their separate sensibilities to World Brand New: there’s no mistaking Elizabeth’s folk bona fides, while Greenstein brings a sense of twee pop melodies to the proceedings, giving the album texture to complicate its easy confidence.
Mouths of Babes gave us some insight into the mournful “Pictures of You,” the aftermath of a lost friendship that can often feel more devastating than a romantic breakup. That’s offset by the Cajun-inspired “Jubilee,” a celebration of the Biblical release from obligations and an anticipation of the radical world to come — all centered on the resolution of the separation in “Pictures Of You.”
World Brand New shines on its love songs, with “I Do” and “One For Me” ruminations on a love that is both mature and uncomplicated, always fresh and surprising. “Summertime,” by contrast, celebrates queer love — especially those of us who are of the masc persuasion.
There’s emotional depth as well, of course. “My Country” expresses profound disappointment in the way our society has been coming apart at the seams — for better and worse. As Greenstein and Elizabeth’s voices rise in tandem, we are reminded of the importance of unity in the face of hardship. Above all, though, hope is the key, and that’s the emotion that binds World Brand New together.
World Brand New will be available tomorrow, 10/6