MWWB: Harvesting A New Dawn

The acronym MMWB is what the band formerly known as MAMMOTH WEED WIZARD BASTARD will be known as now. Despite the slimming down of the band’s name, the music remains as brilliant and forward thinking as ever. With their new album The Harvest, the music of MMWB sounds even more expansive with some of the biggest riffs, solid grooves and ethereal vocals you will hear this year. We had a chat with MMWB vocalist (as well as cellist and moog player) Jessica Ball, who told us all about the ups and downs of creating The Harvest and how bringing the album out, after a number of severe setbacks, symbolises triumph over adversity for the band.

MWWB have always been about combining different styles with their music to enhance the MWWB sound and Jessica tell us that this is is at the heart of The Harvest. “It’s all of our styles that we’ve developed over the years come together. The way it’s happened just been quite organic. A running theme in it is a sort of sci-fi movie vibe.”

The title track of the album was the first material released from The Harvest and it has been proved to be a perfect introduction to this new chapter of MWWB as Jessica confirms. “I think it’s definitely one of our heavier, darker tracks. So if you like that song, and if you can handle that, then the rest should be okay.”

The album continues with MWWB‘s long standing love of effects and additional noise on their songs, which is something Jessica loves to put on the band’s albums. “Yeah, it’s the best but the least stressful part because we don’t have to worry about being in tune or playing anything right and it’s usually just one take of noises”

Those noises certainly add to the atmosphere of the record which is something MWWB have been keen to enhance the sound of The Harvest as Jessica tells us. “Obviously, lots of our songs are long and like soundscapes so to have an album that delivered that all the way through he been really cool.”

The Harvest has a definite cinematic vibe and Jessica states that a classic Stanley Kubrick film was a big influence on the album. “I think for Dave (guitarist Paul Michael Davies) because he was the writer of a lot of the music, I think, obviously, 2001: A Space Odyssey was a big influence on him and I think that was the concept he had with the album.” One listen to The Harvest and it is clear that the tense and futuristic vibe of that particular movie is wholly evident on the record.

With their music ever evolving, it is fitting that this new album is the first under their new MWWB moniker as it signals a fresh start for the band as Jessica confirms. “That’s exactly what it was really, from having this crazy name to now, it was like a new start. We got called MWWB a lot anyway so it just fitted. Our original fans know what it means anyway!”

Going back to the album, expansive and experimental are two words that can be applied to the songs on The Harvest which is what the band were aiming for and show how MWWB are growing as a musical force, as Jessica agrees. “On our previous albums we were trying to find our sound, our style, and we were gelling together learning how to work together musically which we succeeded in doing, and then once you’ve bought that mould, you then want to break that mould. This album was definitely pushing the barriers as much as we could with each other musically and with our own perception of music.”

While Jessica and the rest of MWWB are undoubtedly extremely happy and excited about the the album coming out now, it has taken a long time due to a devastating illness that happened to guitarist Dave (suffering a stroke after contracting COVID-19) which has seen the album’s release stalled for a year. “We’ve been sitting on this album for a while. It was supposed to come out one year ago in March. We recorded it the year before in June, so we’ve been sitting on it for a very, very long time. Our guitarist was very ill so that was that’s why the delay happened, but it’s for a good reason, so that we could all share it together. He can be updated by what’s happening now.”

Thankfully, despite his dreadful ailment, Dave‘s condition is improving as Jessica enthusiastically tells us. “He’s doing so much better. It’s a much more positive outlook now than he had before. He is doing really well. I give him regular updates and he’s in rehabilitation, having to learn a lot of things again, including walking and talking but he’s exceeded everybody’s expectations, basically”.

With that good news signifying a change of fortune for MWWB, that new start is a positive thing indeed, the reaction to The Harvest has been another positive thing for Jessica. “It’s almost been overwhelming how well received it’s been, especially with the hiatus that we had. People were expecting music from us a year ago, and then we sort of just disappeared, seemingly without an explanation. It was always a bit nerve wracking when something like that happens because you don’t know how you’re going to be received or if everybody’s moved on, but everybody just jumped on it and it’s been so nice to still have everyone’s support and nice to know that we’re still up there.”

Although the album is coming out, the prospect of live shows will have to wait a while as it perfectly understandable given what the band have been through. “We’re not ruling anything out in that way, but so far there isn’t anything just yet. I think we’ve been so focused on trying to get this album released, we haven’t really thought. I know a lot of that obviously, also is dependent on the speed of Dave‘s recovery.”

As well as MWWB, Jessica has been keeping busy with her other musical project EYE which she tells us about and how it started. “It started in the heart of lockdown. My boyfriend and I, we just started playing together and then our friend Johnny plays synthesiser, he was in our lockdown bubble. We haven’t even really got anything out there yet but we’ve already been offered so many gigs! People are excited to hear something different. It’s very moody and electronic.”

An intriguing prospect would be some sort of amalgamation or collaboration of both MWWB and EYE, something Jessica would definitely consider, “I’d happily do something like that. That would be the dream really! I definitely wouldn’t rule anything like that out”.

With that thought being something for the future, the new beginning that is The Harvest is the here and now and as we conclude the conversation, Jessica tells us about her favourite parts of being in the band as past and present memories interlink. “Right now I’m just really happy we got to the point where we can release the album and being able to be a part of it. There was a point where it wasn’t going to come out so to be able to actually be releasing it is amazing. I just want to enjoy that moment now.”

The Harvest is out now via New Heavy Sounds.

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