Words from me, and words from others!
This week Smhoak ruins a conversation with Abbie from Mars. Young and full of spirit, Abbie’s work ignores a lot of standard artistic divisions that keep us down. Listen to her excellent radio show Saturday nights at midnight est on WFMU.
listen to the episode here
For Smhoakstock’s grand finale this year, Lehrhoff threw in everything but the kitchen sink. In totality, the program ended up being 12 days long. The first nine, from December 1st to the 9th, were filled with pre-taped content and broadcast online for 12 hours a day. They featured everyone from the performer Abbie From Mars, who is in her early 20s, to Brian Chase from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, who instructed viewers on how to play drum parts to classic Guns N’ Roses songs.
The Deli Magazine
July 18, 2022
“Abbie from Mars proves she’s really from Mars on ‘My Second Debut Album'”
And speaking of butt-shaking rhythms, Abbie has developed a greater appreciation on this album for the art of the groove compared to her first album, Quick Universe Leap, which overall leaned more towards stuttering difficult-to-dance-to rhythms and sometimes no beats whatsoever (maybe that’s why the second debut is framed as a “do-over” that’s more avant-pop than pure sound art) but on the new one you get plenty of propulsive stripped-down grooves alongside the more experimental moments.
listen to the segment here
The insanity that is “I Think I Broke My Finger” kind of leaves you reeling from shock. It is hard to listen to as Abbie screams and hurls odd sounds into your eardrums, but it’s the explosive nature of the sounds that makes it tolerable. AfM has a neat talent to create rhythms with funky sounds.
invited to share 10 albums that were “game changing” for me
Oh and there’s a freaky and delightful album from an artist named Abbie From Mars, who is actually from New York. It’s well worth your 26 minutes.
Bandcamp
June 14, 2022
My Second Debut Album featured in New and Notable section of the homepage
Experimental pop artist and WFMU radio personality Abbie from Mars re-introduces herself on this playful, idiosyncratic album.
The Deli Magazine
June 4, 2022
“The Rocket Song” single featured in Quick Local News
featuring “Kittens Will Bite” single
Endaural Blog
May 2022
My Second Debut Album included on the Endaural Anticipation List
Interview at Breakdown // Breakthrough
January 27, 2022
The JMC Aggregate Podcast
July 14, 2021
“Episode #1 w/ Abbie from Mars”
Nice conversation in advance of my first show about the element of surprise, not being a musician, and DANCING!
On Craft & Process
Princeton Arts Alumni
April 12, 2021
“Middleman”
Quick piece I wrote on the satisfaction of a physical art-making process, particularly during pandemic lockdown.
So I’ve been asking myself: how do I balance the polish of seated, steady work (which may often take place in front of a computer) with the energy of a more physical, spontaneous process? When is it right to eliminate the digital middleman completely? And how do I pull work most directly from my body-mind?
Berkshire Fine Arts
February 24, 2020
“Princeton Atelier at National Sawdust: Humanizing Electronic Sound”
Abbie… concluded the evening, live processing her taps, executed from sea green shoes. The precedence of percussion in contemporary music is made clear in her performance. She is the instrument and composer as she taps. She is very funny. [She] also has an uncanny sense of rhythm, which both delights and jars as she “beats” her work.
Bandcamp Daily
September 25, 2018
“Better Know a College Radio Station: Princeton University’s WPRB”
Experiment! Play multiple tracks at the same time. Read poetry over bird sounds and gritty noise. Bring in objects that make interesting sounds. Shout into the microphone in the middle of a song. Create a character one day. Make sense—or don’t. Just keep your listeners on their toes.
Abbie from Mars 