In 2019 Indie rocker Angie McMahon released her acclaimed debut Salt. (It’s still one of the best Australian indie rock albums of recent years.) Like many others I was completely taken aback by McMahon’s arrival. She was refreshing, relatable and her music, a collection of ruminations on life, love and pasta, was both introspective and melancholic; powered along by her gritty jangly guitars and heavenly layered vocals, which at times sounds very reminiscent of Florence Welch. Keeping Time, Slow Mover and Pasta are my go-to essential tracks. The latter, which might for some of you conjure up images of fresh Italian pasta dishes or Stanley Tucci or both, is definitely a standout. In truth while Pasta doesn’t have much at all to do with the doughy substance, it instead plays out as a confessional track about being lost.
Interestingly, being ‘lost’ is a theme McMahon explores once more on her long awaited new single Saturn Returning (released last month) from her forthcoming 13 track new album entitled Light, Dark, Light Again. It’s a dreamy song with an uncharacteristic piano composition at its centre. With the absence of her signature guitar, it takes a moment for us to realise this is actually an Angie McMahon song, but make no mistake it’s a confessional number reminiscent lyrically of her earlier work. McMahon says the song plays out as “a conversation with myself through a time of significant endings and beginnings, where compassion and hope have been the best antidote to my own mental health struggles.”
It’s fair to say Saturn Returning is a great track and welcome return (after almost four years) for McMahon and one of many tracks from the forthcoming new album that was written and co-produced in New York with Brad Cook. While Saturn Returning marks McMahon’s first new original music since her 2019 debut (Salt), the question that I would like answered is how different will the rest of the new album (set for release in October) sound compared to Salt? Is Saturn Returning for instance a one-off with its cinematic splendour? If anything I feel McMahon has seemingly taken a giant step (not necessarily away from indie rock) into new territory sonically (at least that is) with Saturn Returning. It definitely shows off her growth and maturity as a musician of not returning to her old sound altogether.
That said, I haven’t even yet had the chance to clue you in on the latest news. The follow up release to Saturn Returning in recent days is a song called Letting Go. It has helped me somewhat to gauge where McMahon’s music might go musically after all. I definitely like this song much more than I do Saturn Returning. Interestingly, Letting Go was originally written as a piano ballad before it was turned on its head into a rousing rock anthem. Anyway I love how unapologetic McMahon sounds. She holds nothing back in the process with what she wants to achieve. Thematically, McMahon is at it again, examining her inner turmoil, especially her anxiety. The big take from it is the idea of learning not to dwell on things of the past and that it is okay to let go and make mistakes.
Rearview Mirror 
Interesting stuff. Like the voice very much. Thanks Robert.
I like Angie’s songwriting and musicianship, and her videos are so beautifully executed and expressive.