The Mother We Share Explained

The Mother We Share
Cover:Chvrches_-_The_Mother_We_Share_-_2012.jpeg
Type:single
Artist:Chvrches
Album:The Bones of What You Believe
Genre:Indie pop, synth-pop
Producer:Chvrches
Next Title:Recover
Next Year:2013

"The Mother We Share" is the debut single by Scottish indietronica band Chvrches from their debut studio album, The Bones of What You Believe. The song was re-released in the United Kingdom on 15 September 2013 by Virgin Records.[1] The re-release peaked within the top 40 of the UK Singles Chart, reaching number 38 in September 2013. This made it their highest-charting single until 2019 when their collaboration with Marshmello's "Here With Me" reached number 9 on the UK Singles Chart in April 2019.

Critical reception

Michael Cragg of The Guardian gave the song a positive review, while noting the mood differences between the song and a previous Chvrches track, "Lies". He wrote that the song "tempers the monster synth riffs in favour of twinkling keyboards, padded drum claps and a central lyric that lends the whole thing a slightly melancholic edge."[2]

Duncan Cooper of The Fader praised Lauren Mayberry's vocals, comparing them to those of Megan James of Purity Ring.[3] Ian Cohen of Pitchfork also similarly wrote that "Lauren Mayberry's neon sing-song vocals makes Chvrches stand out in a crowded field", while stating that the song's "melodic concision and extroversion goes beyond even that of recent adaptors like Purity Ring." He also compared the song to the works by the electronic music duo The Knife.[4]

Pitchfork ranked it number 191 on their list of the top 200 tracks of the 2010s so far in 2014.[5] In 2013, the song won the Popjustice £20 Music Prize for best British pop song.[6]

Music video

The music video for the song, directed by SJ Lee and featuring Alexandra Chelaru, was released on 5 August 2013. It alters between "a narrative of a lonely girl traversing her way through New York City" and flashy shots of Chvrches performing the track.[7] [8] [9] [10]

Remixes

Blood Diamonds remix

The song was remixed by electronic music producer Blood Diamonds. The remix appeared on Chvrches' Soundcloud page.[11] [12]

The remix received positive reviews from the critics. Jamie Milton of This Is Fake DIY wrote: "The original is spun into a giant, hyperactive beast of looped vocals and Lauren Mayberry being made to sound like she's shouting from several sides at once."[13] Larry Fitzmaurice of Pitchfork stated that the remix "takes the original's pulsing chorus and throws some crazy drum'n'bass noise behind it."[14] Michelle Geslani of Consequence of Sound felt that Blood Diamond "literally injected it with 10x more energy," while noting "the chorus, which bursts with the hyperactive, glitchy thrills." She also called the song a "somewhat of a perfect personification of the countdown to the full-length."[15]

A JD Twitch Optimo remix

The song was also remixed by Scottish DJ, JD Twitch of the music duo Optimo. It was eventually included in the single.[16]

In popular culture

"The Mother We Share" was used in 2014 Marc Jacobs commercial.

The song was covered by artists such as Half Moon Run, Soak and Eefje de Visser.[17]

The song was also used in the soundtrack of the 2014 racing video game Forza Horizon 2, in the radio station Horizon Pulse.[18]

Personnel

Charts

Year-end charts

Chart (2014)Position
US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard)[19] 81
US Alternative Songs (Billboard)[20] 49

Release history

RegionDateFormatLabel
United Kingdom2 October 2012Digital downloadNational Anthem[21]
5 November 201210" vinyl[22]
15 September 2013Digital download Virgin[23]
United States19 November 2013Digital downloadGlassnote[24]
3 March 2014Hot adult contemporary radio[25]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Chvrches Release New Single 'The Mother We Share' Out 16 September 2013 . 19 August 2013 . . 17 September 2013.
  2. Web site: New music: Chvrches – The Mother We Share . The Guardian . 19 September 2012 . 17 September 2013 . Cragg, Michael.
  3. Web site: Stream: Chvrches, "The Mother We Share" . . 17 September 2012 . 17 September 2013 . Cooper, Duncan.
  4. Web site: Chvrches "The Mother We Share" . . 24 September 2012 . 17 September 2013 . Cohen, Ian.
  5. Web site: The 200 Best Tracks of the Decade So Far (2010-2014). Pitchfork Media. 24 June 2014.
  6. Web site: 2013-10-30. CHVRCHES' 'The Mother We Share' has won the 2013 Twenty Quid Music Prize • Popjustice. 2021-01-09. Popjustice. en-US.
  7. Web site: Watch: Chvrches' "The Mother We Share" Video . . 6 August 2013 . 17 September 2013 . Golden, Grant.
  8. Web site: Video: Chvrches: "The Mother We Share" . . 5 August 2013 . 17 September 2013 . Minsker, Evan.
  9. Web site: Watch CHVRCHES' video for "The Mother We Share" . . 5 August 2013 . 17 September 2013.
  10. Web site: Watch Chvrches' Video For "The Mother We Share" . . 5 August 2013 . 17 September 2013 . Alcindor, Jonathon.
  11. Web site: CHVRCHES on Soundcloud . 17 September 2013.
  12. Web site: Chvrches – "The Mother We Share (Blood Diamonds Remix)" . . 10 September 2013 . 17 September 2013 . Lobenfeld, Claire.
  13. Web site: Listen: Blood Diamonds Remixes Chvrches, 'The Mother We Share' . 10 September 2013 . 17 September 2013 . Milton, Jamie.
  14. Web site: Chvrches "The Mother We Share (Blood Diamonds Remix)" . . 10 September 2013 . 17 September 2013 . Fitzmaurice, Larry.
  15. Web site: Listen to a remix of CHVRCHES' "The Mother We Share" by Blood Diamonds . . 10 September 2013 . 17 September 2013 . Geslani, Michelle.
  16. Web site: Chvrches - "The Mother We Share (A JD Twitch Optimo Remix)" . . 1 October 2012 . 20 September 2013 . Fitzmaurice, Larry.
  17. Web site: SOAK - THE MOTHER WE SHARE (CHVRCHES COVER). SoundCloud. 2016-03-02.
  18. Web site: Forza Motorsport - The Music of Forza Horizon 2. www.forzamotorsport.net. 2017-02-25.
  19. Hot Rock Songs: Year End 2014 . . 21 December 2014.
  20. Alternative Songs: Year End 2014 . . 21 December 2014.
  21. Web site: CHVRCHES Downloads . 7digital (UK) . https://web.archive.org/web/20130306213301/http://www.7digital.com/artist/chvrches . 6 March 2013 . 31 October 2015.
  22. Web site: ANTHEM0003: CHVRCHES "The Mother We Share" . National Anthem . 24 September 2012 . 31 October 2015.
  23. Web site: The Mother We Share [Explicit]

    Chvrches: MP3 Downloads ]

    . . 31 October 2015.
  24. Web site: The Mother We Share EP (Explicit) CHVRCHES . 7digital (US) . 31 October 2015.
  25. Web site: Hot/Modern/AC Future Releases . All Access Music Group . https://web.archive.org/web/20131105002711/http://www.allaccess.com/hot-modern-ac/future-releases . 5 November 2013 . live . 27 February 2014.