“About The Weather” was released in 2023 as the first album by Portland emo band, Mauve. [About The Weather Album Cover]

On July 18th, 2023, the beloved local emo band, Mauve, released their first album titled “About The Weather.” I had been looking forward to this album since their first single, “20,000 Degrees.”

The album opens with “Dawn,” a song filled with raw emotion in both the instrumentals and lyrics. Mauve’s instrumental styling takes inspiration from the Midwest emo subgenre (think Sunny Day Real Estate as opposed to American Football) but with a faster pace. This pace leads to the always enjoyable combo of a slightly upbeat instrumental with angsty lyrics.

This brings an incredible energy, exemplified in the single “Oh My God!” but felt throughout the album. On the vocals, Olive Murray absolutely kills it. Their vocal performance amplifies the lyrics and emotions on faster songs like “20,000 Degrees” and “Drive/Threw” as well as the slow and personal feelings present in “Will.”

The song “Will” is the standout example of pure emotion that runs through the entire album. When it comes to the album as a whole, the songs flow nicely into one another. There’s a second instrumental track titled “Dusk,” which works as a nice reprieve before the second half of the album.

The album ends with my favorite track, “Sun.” Much like the title, a song this good isn’t something you come across every day here in Portland. So if you have any interest in what’s happening in the local music scene, give this album a listen. You will not regret it!