Okay, time for a mild mea culpa – this isn’t technically a comedy show review. It’s a music one. But hey, we’ve got form for this! We’ve reviewed vinyl records before, and we’ve certainly covered music albums from some of our favourite clowns. So, let’s roll with it.

More importantly, Mae Martin has long been one of our favourite performers. Dope still sits proudly in my memory as one of the best comedy gigs I’ve ever seen, and we’ve been fans since their songs were about escaping a zombie apocalypse with Don Cheadle. (A concept that, frankly, still deserves a feature film.)

Things have levelled up significantly since then – TV appearances, stand-up specials, and the creation of the truly excellent (and award-winning) comedy-drama Feel Good. So, how do you follow up all that success? Well, if you’re Mae Martin, you get signed by Universal Music and drop your first album, obviously.

Listening to I’m A TV for the first time, I’m instantly reminded of two moments where this genre of music has always slotted perfectly into my life. The first: that post-work wind-down drink, when you just need the world (and your brain) to slow down. The second: those late-night drives home after a heavy club night, where you need something playing in the car to take the edge off, reset the mood, and let everyone breathe. This album just levels you out.

The double A-side Good Dream / Stornoway, released as a single, definitely showcased two of the standout tracks from the album. But for me, opener Try Me sets the tone perfectly.

That being said, it’s not my favourite. Performers are always told to leave their audience wanting more, and with the final track of the album, Mae absolutely nails this. People Get Back Up is a haunting number, with the kind of lyrics that catch you off guard against Mae’s smooth vocals and deceptively light acoustic guitar work…

I guess I’d heard that you were down
didn’t want to pry
next time I’ll ask why
people get back up unless they die

It’s fair to say that the storytelling that made Mae such a compelling stand-up is woven into every track on this album. The whole thing feels like a modern spin on that classic ’60s California sound perfected by The Mamas & The Papas and The Byrds.

However, as I mostly write about comedy, I called up a far more muso friend of mine to get their take on I’m A TV. They quickly came back with: “Great chilled summer road trip songs – giving Aimee Mann, but with Tame Impala vibes.” Which, I’m assured, is absolutely a compliment.

All in all, I’m thrilled to add this one to my vinyl collection. And as always, we can’t wait to see what Mae decides to try next.

You can buy a copy of the album here – maemartinmusic.com

Clown Stars: (-unrated-)

@Universal Music, Canada

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