Seeing the revitalized dB’s play a show last fall to celebrate the reissue of their first two albums was a must-see event for me. Happily, in addition to seeing the dB’s tear through a set of their classics, I was introduced to their opening band, the Mayflies USA. I probably should have known about the Mayflies USA, since their first two albums, Summertown (1998) and The Pity List (2000), were produced by dB’s member Chris Stamey. Somehow, though, I missed out on them at the time.
Fortunately for me and other potential new fans, the Mayflies USA‘s opening set was the perfect introduction to the band. They played several of their older songs, along with a handful of tracks from their as-yet unreleased new record. That left new fans with two tasks: to catch up on their old material and to wait patiently for the new album.
That wait is now over. Kickless Kids, the first Mayflies USA album in more than 20 years, has been released. It was worth the wait. Kickless Kids continues their decidedly power pop ways, while also moving them in promising new directions that reflect the life experiences they have had since the release of their last album, Walking in a Straight Line, in 2002.
For the record, the current line-up of the Mayflies USA consists of original members guitarist Matt Long, guitarist and singer Matt McMichaels, and bassist and singer Adam Price. Original drummer David Liesegang plays on one track, though an arm injury prevented him from fully rejoining the band. Tony Stiglitz, a veteran of the Chapel Hill music scene, is the current drummer for the band. A medical emergency that Matt Long experienced in 2022 inspired the band to reunite, ultimately leading to the dB’s tour and Kickless Kids.
The Mayflies USA open Kickless Kids with “Thought the Rain Was Gone”. While its intro will instantly conjure Guided by Voices in some ears, the song moves in a different, yet equally appealing, direction on the chorus. This opening track fits comfortably within the power pop mold. Still, the underlying melancholy of the music and reflective lyrics indicate that Kickless Kids is not going to be all pop joyrides that fans might have expected from the group back at the turn of the century.
The first half of Kickless Kids offers a nice balance of toe-tapping tunes and quieter tracks, most with introspective lyrics that find the musicians where they are right now, pondering their past, finding their place in the moment, and ultimately contemplating mortality. Fortunately, the tunes and their veteran musicianship fully support the lyrical content, keeping the proceedings from getting too heavy or, worse yet, dull.
While hints of Americana spike the band’s guitar pop during the first two-thirds of the album, the Mayflies USA take a sharp turn into country as the album winds down. “Summer Kept Slippin'” and “Come on Down” are both twangy laments that take a listen or two to sink in but become quite satisfying once they do. One last rocker, “Twilight’s Alright”, leads to the final track. A wryly reflective ballad, “Roll It Down the Line” is about departures, mostly the big, final one.
Kickless Kids finds the Mayflies USA facing life, loss, and their current status as a group. The result is an album that is honest, heartfelt, and ultimately hopeful. Let’s hope we don’t have to wait another 20 years for a follow-up.