by Jane McDonald
A Return to Santa Fe
We headed back to our stomping grounds for Head Room Session #54 in the Santa Fe Arts District at Mashroom Studios. A fabulous female-owned and operated tattoo stop and creative space, they host weekly Firecracker Comedy and other events like tonight’s session in addition to creating stunning custom ink. Machete Mouth, aka Elise (she / they) is the first act of the night — boldly taking the stage armed only with a mixer and keyboard.
Solo Act with Swag
They begin with some deep breathing and almost imperceptible humming, mixing in ethereal sounds that usher the listener into her first song entitled Sleepwalker. With the use of familiar childhood rhymes and religious imagery she examines themes of morality. I found that the line — “Make your bed. Sleep in it. Don’t forget to wrap yourself up tight.” — rolled around in my head for many days after the session.
They continue the set with a beat fit for the dance floor and Mary J. Blige approved lyrics in Conditions. In a world with a seemingly endless catalog of songs about pining for someone else, hearing the lyrics “I want a love like mine” is both refreshing and empowering. This track is part of Indie 102.3’s Local 303 program, so keep your ears open for this one on the radio!
As a final treat, the audience is posed with a “choose your own adventure” style question: what do we want to hear next, freestyle or a song she wrote for her Dad? An audience member immediately yells “the Dad song!” admitting that he heard them play it over the past weekend. The Dad Song, aka 2Q (the Q is for Quentin), has a fable-like quality to it, with a repeated list of totems she passed on a road trip. She notes animals and everyday items spotted along the road, all that triggered visceral memories of her father and created a sense of uncanny connection. Punctuated with a giggle, Machete Mouth closes their set with this simple track that feels like an intimate piece of her family folklore.
Elise of Machete Mouth has a beautiful energy that permeates the audience, bringing a (much needed) sense of calm to us all. Her enigmatic stage presence and authentic songwriting welcome the listener into her world, where she explores universally confounding topics in her signature style that cannot be confined by genre. A busy up-and-coming Denver artist, Machete Mouth is one you can catch around town this summer - stay tuned for their next performance!