Strange Devotion by Maura Weaver

After some turbulent late teen years in her former pop punk band, Mixtapes, Maura Weaver needed a break. Months became years and the songs still weren’t coming. It wasn’t until being thrust into personal heartache in 2020 that she began to write songs again and the result was her 2023 solo debut I Was Due For A Heartbreak. The record was a personal breakthrough for Weaver, characterized by Weaver’s distinctive emotional intelligence, the record was intimate and relatable—filled with quiet moments counterbalanced by big ideas about love, loss, and life.
Weaver’s sophomore effort Strange Devotion continues in a similar vein. Written and recorded over the course of 2024 with longtime collaborator John Hoffman in a Northern Kentucky studio that may or may not be haunted, still present are the hooks, melodies, and thoughtful lyrics that have become Weaver’s staple. But here we have her in the catbird seat. “This time around it was most important that I made a record that I was happy with,” explains Weaver, “Feeling comfortable saying, ‘This is what I think, and this is what I want.’” This confidence flows through the ten distinct tracks suffused with intentional and delicate storytelling while presenting a sonic palette that spans the Feelies, Teenage Fanclub, Liz Phair, and even the Cars. From “Prince,” a bright and light song destined for blasting with the car windows down, to the infectious “Do Nothing” to the impeccable riffs on “The Face,” every molecule of this record reflects Weaver’s continued maturation as a solo artist, a band leader, a player, and a songwriter.

Emotionally, the second LP mines from a deeper place for Weaver. Her determination and power as a songwriter are nowhere clearer than in the haunting “Museum Glass,” a song that reckons with her experience of being stalked and assaulted early in her career. “It’s important to me to highlight what I’ve been through, because I’m not the only one,” says Weaver. The song reminds us how quickly our spirit can be taken but also how much power we gain from its reclamation, from an act of resurrection, from moving on even when it seems impossible. The song is a perfect iteration of the record’s most powerful theme: rebuilding and reclaiming the ability to take ownership of one’s art and indeed one’s life.

On Strange Devotion Maura Weaver has done what some would deem impossible: she has created an indie-pop gem that feels both intimate and grand at the same time. Listening to this record is like sitting in your bedroom with your best friend who is whispering in your ear about the secrets of the universe, the mysteries of life, and a few jokes. The record is a fearless document of personal growth, a statement of emotional solidarity, and an affirmation. It is the marriage of undeniably catchy hooks and an emotional profundity that is increasingly rare these days. It is a demonstration of what’s possible when we remain devoted to ourselves and our dreams no matter the winding roads or shattered windows along the way. -Ben Michaelis

power pop/alt-country from Cincinnati, Ohio!

photos by Nikita Gross / nikitagrossphotography.com

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