Richard BodinEggs on Mars come from Kansas City, and although I’m only discovering them now, the band have been around for more than a decade. The quartet features songwriter, guitarist and vocalist Brad Smith, alongside bassist and producer Doug Bybee, drummer Mason Potter, and guitarist and keyboard player Joel Stratton, whose combined talents shape both their creative process and studio work. The group were brought together by a shared love of often overlooked 1960s pop, an influence that continues to resonate at the heart of their music.
Psychedelia and Love Songs
Good Morning (I Love You) is a warm and quietly reassuring collection of love songs, steeped in the sounds of the late 1960s and early 1970s. There is something of the garage and psychedelic movement that followed the British Invasion, the spirit once captured on the Nuggets compilations, but filtered through a gentle, Midwestern sensibility. The result sits somewhere between the melodic richness of The Beach Boys, the introspective calm of Neil Young, and the jangling grace of The Byrds or The Monkees.
A Slow Unfolding
The album opens with “Inconsistent Cowpoke”, which resonates instantly with its jangly guitars, establishing a warm atmosphere with its delicate melodies. “Good Morning (I Love You)”, the title track follows, evocative of familiar gestures, shared routines, small moments that build intimacy over time. Jangly guitars and velvety bassline contribute to reinforce the warm atmosphere.
Slowly the album builds momentum. On “Couldn’t Write”, a jangly piano offers a more uplifting atmosphere as guitar respond to vocals with little riffs. It is followed by a more driving pace on the psychedelic “Shooting Stars”, with vocals soaring above the chorus weaving in with wailing guitars. “That’s Alright” is a bit more subdued with velvety basslines melting in with Moog-like textures. On choruses, the mood lifts up a bit as the instrumention soars to higher registry with nice vocals melodies
“Takes Time” emerges as a clear highlight. Built around an energetic riff and an infectious melody, it reflect on how swiftly love can happen: « Sometimes it takes times / For someone to realise / Sometimes it takes none at all » . The closing track “Came Home” intro is a bit reminiscent of Jeff Buckley with is jangly and reverbed guitar. Here the lyrics feel more introspective: « I came home, but find nothing had changed expect me ». The track is a nice closer as the arrangement weaves into a more elaborate sonic tapestry.
Simple but Rich and Comforting
Throughout the record, the band show a gift for arrangement. Songs often begin in simplicity before opening up into richer textures. It is mellow, unhurried, and deeply comforting, the guitar solos never breaking the mood but gently extending it. There is a subtle dialogue between voice and instrumentation, with guitars answering the melodies rather than overpowering them. Even when the rhythms become more driving, as on the more energetic moments, the music never loses its softness.
Why Physical Albums Still Matter
Eggs On Mars’ music definitely speaks to me, but what achieves to win me over is their approach to the physical media. Indeed, the lucky owners of a CD or a Cassette who stay with the album until the very last second will be rewarded with a little surprise. In the trail of the closing track, the sound a bubbling stream, with birds and thunder, slowly segues into a hidden track: “Little Things”. The track feature a wonderful little song, which soars into harmonious melodies and whailing guitars as it reaches the end.
In this day and age of overwhelming streaming platform, people sometime stares with disbelief at people collecting records. Let’s face it: your phone or your laptop don’t require that much shelving. But what they don’t get is that exact little pleasure. Finding the hidden track at the end of an album, or examining the cover carefully. And with such a difficult context in the music industry, that a self-produced band like Eggs On Mars, spends much care and attention to details like that touches me.
On top of that, the band give a lot of care in the choice of their artwork cover. So far, each of their album has featured colourful paintings. This time calling upon John Andrews & The Yawns to design it. The cover represents an impressive bunch of colorful flowers in a vase, reminiscent of Van Gogh’s famous painting.
A Familiar Feeling
There is something immediately familiar about Good Morning (I Love You). It sounds new, yet it feels like returning somewhere you already know. Warm, melodic and gently psychedelic, it is the kind of record that settles in slowly and stays with you. It reminds you that the most meaningful songs are often the simplest ones: those that speak about love, time, and change without grand gestures, but with sincerity and care. Sometimes, that is exactly what we need.
