This Berlin-based trio was birthed in 2021 out of the need to survive the global unknown for Meagre Martin members Sarah, Freddy, and Max. Through their own personal and professional evolution, they crafted this album “Up To Snuff” and released it on February 14th of this year.
The album opens with a track called Malcolm, a track that I interpret to be focused around non-conformity and the need to find your people, even if it means leaving the only environment you’ve ever known. This song begins with a magnetic and ripping electric guitar, transitioning to intentionally unsettling vocals and layered with beautifully-executed and unnerving riffs.
The second track, Never Thought, brings a chiller instrumental into the mix that pairs well with the more melancholic vocal tones. With lyrics like “I never thought you’d ask me to leave / Like you asked me to leave” and “I never thought you’d get tired of me / Like you’re tired of me”, we’re getting a glimpse into a relationship that has seemingly run its course. You never expect someone to lose interest in you or the relationship as a whole, let alone expect them to make you the one that shoulders the burden of ending things.
These lyrics showcase the desire to remember someone for who they were rather than accept that they’ve changed, “Tracing my finger / Over your face / I always want it to stay the same”, and are some of my favorites on this record.
Frankie, the third track on the album, is probably my favorite of all. I adore all of the fun little instrumental bits that pop through. Frankie is one of the more “shoegaze-type” songs on the album and the groovy bass drives the song forward so well that I had to listen a handful of times, just out of pure necessity to hear it again.
The vocals on this album draw you in immediately and that’s especially true for this next song, In The Room. Sarah Martin’s uniquely open vocals remind me of a few well-known singers in the late 90’s. She has an easily identifiable tone and every note is a true gift to the ears. This song ends with a glistening, almost crystal-like riff, some of my favorite little slivers of time spent listening to this album.
The final track on “Up To Snuff” is named Comfort Food, and the melodies bring me back to more enjoyable times. I picture myself and my childhood friends running around the playground and riding down our favorite slides. When we reminisce on simpler times in our past, it seems to give us a bit of temporary optimism, distracting us from our present circumstances. This temporary comfort of food falls right in line with my thoughts on this song and of course, the title.
There’s something so brilliantly haunting about how all of these tracks are written and executed, even in its brightest and most shiny moments. I picture myself listening to this album in a dark, underground nightclub that holds all of the cool, risqué types. Somewhere everyone is welcome and celebrated, especially those who don’t fit perfectly into societal norms.
The last thing I’ll say before I urge you to listen to “Up To Snuff” in full is that the album art that was created is amazingly done, and perfectly matches the artistic and unique energy of this band. Check out this album at your earliest convenience, it is MORE than worth the listen.
Written by Newt Fangs
