Maverick Mom released their first full album, Travessia, on May 13. Travessia takes you on a journey spanning two discs covering new material and revisiting classics from their past. The title Travessia comes from a Portuguese word meaning “crossing”, and this theme of a journey can be seen before a moment of music is even heard on the album jacket. In two discs, the album not only takes you on a new adventure covering recent singles and never-before-heard tracks but also reminisces about the band’s previous endeavors with old singles and remakes from their first EP ENERGY.

“Travessia” Jacket

Disc one: The beginning of a new adventure

The first disc showcases all of Maverick Mom’s newest material. The track overture begins the journey. The gentle flow of the ocean behind a soft classical guitar composition is so relaxing, but as the electric guitar is added, the excitement for the upcoming adventure starts to reveal itself. The guitar solo combined with vocal runs and additional sound effects continues to raise the excitement leading to the title track, Travessia. The epic title track reveals the direction of Maverick Mom’s new material, with heroic strings, funky bass, feisty guitars, and silky vocals.

Travessia covers so much ground and contains so many layers that multiple listens are a must. The opening strings sound like the beginning of a pirate’s voyage before the funky bass line reassures the audience that the adventure ahead is one filled with fun.

Karakuri (カラクリ) and Koduku ni Toku (孤独に解く) cover the standard Jrock sound with fun drum beats by ON supported by Taizo’s chaotic bass lines. The duality of two action-packed guitar parts provides Daishi Minamide with a fun base to lay down his swift vocals. Notably, Koduku ni Toku was arranged by Enon Kawatani (川谷絵音), and his influence is heard all over the track, sounding as if Daishi took over the vocals of a Gesu no Kiwami Otome (ゲスの極み乙女) song. These two tracks stay close to home for Maverick Mom, but over the horizon showcase the new places that will be visited later on in the album.

Maverick Mom 「孤独に解く」 MUSIC VIDEO

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The quick and fun track G.A.P.P.A introduces rap verses and explosive choruses oozing with enjoyment. Despite G.A.P.P.A‘s small length, the track constantly adds new elements with a fun and powerful beat, generating an inescapable urge to dance.

Domestic Secret (ドメスティックシークレット) is a recognizably more complex track, but despite this, it continues to remain catchy. Takeru Nakano’s lead guitar work stands out most, demonstrating a unique mix of chaos and melody. The swing rhythm in Polaris (ポラリス) defines the whole track. As the drums and bass take a back seat, the guitar melodies complement the vocals well. The final chorus is packed with power, and as it leads to the ending of the track, the cheerful gang vocals alongside inspire you to join in.

With all the energy expressed in the previous parts of the album, interlude offers a brief, momentary pause in the action. Similar to overture, interlude expresses the relaxing nature of the ocean. Again, the peaceful waves create a soft ambience behind the classical guitar. Instead of leading to uncontrollable excitement, the added synths mimic the up and down movement of ocean waves and evoke the same feeling of peacefully floating on water, the sea of infinite possibility transitioning to the otherworldly track Acadia (アルカディア). The vinyl crackle and sci-fi-like synths behind the sample in the opening of the track sound so nostalgic. Acadia is a very inspiration-inducing track. interlude was making you aware of the sea of infinite possibility; Acadia, on the other hand, gives you the power to utilize it. What began as a sea voyage now feels like experiencing the universe with Acadia.

Shower!!!!! is the spiritual successor of G.A.P.P.A heard previously, continuing a similar structure with rap verses and fun choruses. Notably, compared to the previous track, Takeru Nakano’s guitar work has way more presence with his solos. Despite the similarities, shower!!!!! stands out on its own and doesn’t feel repetitive. The next track, cleverly named Dryer (ドライヤー), sounds like summer. Dryer could work in an anime perfectly; it’s both upbeat and relaxing and evokes a sense of joy on every listen.

The final two tracks of disc one, Suisen (スイセン) and Takarajima (宝島), cover drastically different colors. Suisen stands out as the slowest track on the album. It’s by no means the kind of track filled with grief and pain but is calming, like viewing life from the perspective of an unbiased observer admiring all forms of beauty in the world. Takarajima then jumps to the other extreme, ending the album in the most fun and chaotic way imaginable, reminding you that the adventure hasn’t concluded but in fact has only just begun.

Disc two: Reminiscing of past adventures

On disc two, Maverick Mom revisits their old material. The tracks featured here, with the exception of Mouka, are not available on the vinyl version of Travessia. The first three tracks, ZONE, Monster, and My name, are remakes from their first EP titled ENERGY. The remakes are a notable step up from the originals in every way and feel like revisiting the past with rose-colored glasses.

The remainder of disc two features a combination of early singles and tracks from the EPs unknown and COMPASS. For new listeners not familiar with Maverick Mom, some of the most memorable tracks include:

Maverick Mom「Transcend even God」MUSIC VIDEO

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Transcend even God covers a heavier side to Maverick Mom. Buzzing, ferocious guitars are rare in this album, but when they’re used, they certainly aren’t wasted. Daishi raps with defiance, and the power of his lyric delivery invites you to transcend your own limits. The chorus of Transcend even God is so catchy and will definitely stay in your head for a while and provide you with encouragement when needed most.

Heartwarming verses that lead into endearing choruses, Aoku, Haru (青く、春), carries a relaxed tone. The accompanying music video comes in grainy film footage, evoking a sense of nostalgia that only enhances the music. Gang vocals in the bridge echo that same nostalgia reminiscent of childhood, transporting you to safety before the final enchanting chorus strikes.

Maverick Mom「青く、春」Lyric Video

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The opening seconds of Mouka (儚夏) prepare a heartfelt tune before suddenly diverting course for a new funky destination. The rapid guitars are fun to listen to before Daishi’s angelic falsetto flies to power. Contrary to most songs on the album, Mouka doesn’t morph rapidly but instead chooses to remain simple and heartfelt.

Maverick Mom「儚夏」Lyric Video

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Asunihikaru (アスニヒカル) features some of ON’s more simplistic drum beats, which gives the guitars more room to shine. Whether it’s washed-out reverb guitars or the chaotic angsty guitars, they carry the whole track. Asunihikaru really makes you appreciate Maverick Mom’s guitar work, both compositionally and tonally.

Genius is like a crazy science experiment; it starts slow, but as time progresses, it twists and turns in unexpected ways, eventually exploding. Takeru’s insane guitar solo combined with Taizo’s slap bass is definitely that explosion, packed with so many chaotic flavors. An abundance of crazy rhythms fills the track and really adds a sense of chaos on every listen.

Maverick Mom「ジーニアス」Official Audio

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The emphasis of the off-beat combined with the fast tempo in Adabana (徒花) is really fun. There is never a moment of peace in Adabana, ON’s endless drums keep the party going indefinitely.

Super Face shows off Maverick Mom’s rhythm section to the fullest extent. Taizo’s bass is turned up to full and dominates the entire track with fun bass lines. ON’s anarchic drum fills really show what he is capable of as a drummer. Despite all of this chaos, Daishi’s simple but effective chorus makes the finale of the Travessia as memorable as the beginning.

Final thoughts

Travessia takes you on a musical journey not just once but twice. Disc one, through an abundance of upbeat and joyful tracks, reminds you of the fun involved in going on adventures and having new experiences. The tracks overture, Travessia, and interlude heavily lean into the idea of pirates going on adventures. whereas G.A.P.P.A and Shower!!!!! are nothing more than undiluted happiness. Tracks like Polaris and Acadia feel limitless and like exploring the universe. Alternatively, moments like Dryer and Suisen remind us of home.

Maverick Mom’s name is short for “Maverick Moment”, and this is definitely what comes through on disk one, taking Jrock convention and taking it to bold and sometimes chaotic new places. The tracks on disc one are jam-packed and definitely require multiple listens to appreciate all the intricate layers.

Disc two, on the other hand, leans heavily into a more standard Jrock sound. The remakes of ZONE, Monster, and My name breathe new life into the classics, so much so that they almost feel like completely different songs. Disc 2 serves as a reminder of Maverick Mom’s past material, a trip down memory lane for old fans, and a deep dive for new fans. The inclusion of older material reminds you of how detailed Maverick Mom’s compositions are. They certainly don’t diminish the new experiences in disk one but rather enhance them by showing the evolution of the band.

No matter what your favorite flavor of Jrock is, Travessia has something for everyone. Experience the adventure for yourself with the new album available on major streaming and digital distribution services. Travessia is also available physically on both CD and vinyl. Note that the vinyl release only features tracks mentioned in disk one of this article, with Mouka featured alongside as a bonus track. CD and digital versions feature all 26 tracks.