I read the accompanying press materials for Mama B.’s “Puffer Fish”, and I went into hearing the first single from her debut album Imaginology harboring low expectations. I assumed this would be a gimmick track – but I was wrong!
Talent is evident throughout the single. Jacq Becker, the person behind the Mama B nom de plume, has songwriting chops that are obvious from your first listen. “Puffer Fish” has a seamless construction that never falters.
She achieves a lot with a comparatively bare-bones approach. This song seems small, scaled down, and never trumpets its presence for the listeners. It established its central melody early, and I found myself humming along soon after the song’s outset.
Some songs come across like they have somehow always been there. “Puffer Fish” sounds like one of those songs. It’s a sly, intelligent, and superbly built pop gem lacking pretentiousness. I expect the remaining tracks on her debut album to be as good, if not better.
Chadwick Easton