Select quotes from Rolling Stone, Chicago Tribune, Consequence, American Songwriter, KCRW and more:
“Southern California singer-songwriter Mara Connor pays tribute to her roots with her delightfully bright debut single, ‘No Fun.’ Connor recorded the track in Nashville, and tinges of country blend seamlessly with Sixties and Seventies beach-pop here. It’s a promising sign for this newcomer, and all that retro flavor never stops this song from sounding like right now.”
“The Los Angeles-based singer got the call to play the festival two weeks ago, and dove right in.... She demonstrated poise and a clear voice....”
“The LA-native is an evocative songwriter with a particular vision, one that comes through not only in song, but across her music videos as well. Each track on No Fun, and even the other stray tunes that don’t appear on the EP, adds to a warm Americana tapestry meant for sitting ‘round an autumn campfire.”
“Mara’s cover of ‘Blues Run the Game’ is a worthy tribute to the heartbreaking original classic. She both recreates the heartfelt longing and loneliness at the center of the track and expands its arrangement in new directions...even in the midst of the rich new instrumentation, Connor captures the original’s indelible contrast of unforgettable melody and tragic emotional weight.”
“If you didn’t know singer-songwriter Mara Connor hailed from Los Angeles, the breezily glum sound of her debut single ‘No Fun’ would be a giveaway. Playing brightly deliberate strumming and briskly grand strings against Connor’s bell-clear voice, ‘No Fun’ is a portrait of resolve masking anticipated rejection.”
“Somewhere between a mod balladeer and an indie folk goddess, the Los Angeles-based singer and songwriter is definitely an older soul...revealing something sultry, something country, and something uniquely hers.”
“‘No Fun’ is also an elegant charmer - Connor’s drawn-out, yet lucid vocals are set against a majestic string arrangement and gleaming jangly guitars, wrapped around a melody that a band like Big Star could’ve written in their more tender moments. ”
“The titular track of Mara’s debut EP perfectly embodies her style with a retro folk soundscape a la Angel Olsen. The hook builds with anthemic guitar and stunning violin strings that synthesize a heart-melting harmony.
“Wildfire,” another beautifully sad song on the EP is buoyant romantic ballad spiked with country spurs. Both tracks prove Mara’s talent for achieving the ultimate melancholy. Altogether, Mara’s 4-track EP is a gorgeous listen and will leave you craving more.”
“‘Someone New’ is an airy, atmospheric breakup ballad that examines romantic wreckage from both sides of the split.”
“Connor’s character is wrestling with her heartbreak...Langhorne’s is sorrowfully wishing she can find a way to move on.”
“LA dwellers Mara Connor and Langhorne Slim each take their stances on a lovelorn duet. As Mara grapples with her heartbreak, Langhorne hopes she can find a way to mend on ‘Someone New.’”
“As for the song that landed at No. 1, Mara Connor’s ‘No Fun,’ I thought ‘stone cold classic pop song’ the first time I listened to it. And I thought ‘stone cold classic pop song’ the 100th time I listened to it...strings-swept and swoon-worthy, a confessional that’s equal parts girl-group pop and ’70s AM radio finery, her buttery voice somewhere between Allie Crow Buckley and Lana Del Rey.”
“Connor’s rendition is eerie and more subdued...like sitting through an old lover’s funeral. The reason for the stark—but brilliant—difference is Connor’s inspiration from iconically spooky filmmaker David Lynch.”
