Minneapolis indie rocker Mary Strand comes storming back with her second full-length, I Don’t Need Your Permission, out August 1 on Hygh Tension Records/Virgin Music. Written after two near-death experiences that forced her to hit pause and reexamine life, the album carries the weight of survival but also the fire of defiance. With her band The Garage behind her, Strand crafts a 12-track rollercoaster that blends punk grit, New Wave sparkle, garage bite, and the melodic smarts of power pop. It’s an unapologetic declaration that one woman’s voice can still cut through the noise.
The opener “Take Your Time” makes it clear this isn’t an album about wallowing. The guitars churn while the drums snap, and Strand’s high voice unfurls a narrative about shaking off dead weight. She sings, “I couldn’t be better, I’m feeling great / I finally lost all your dead weight,” it’s less a breakup line than a manifesto for leaving behind everything that drains you. The run-on pacing mirrors the rush of liberation, as if the revealing was imminent and is finally gushing out like the rush of liberation.
By track six, “Stay or Let This Go,” the tone shifts to something more reflective. Over deep bass and shimmering riffs, she comes in a rather humane, touching way while frustrated about climate change, domestic struggles, the daily grind, and sings, “The years have not been kind and I nearly lost my mind.” The hook “Should we stay or let this go?” resonates like a universal crossroads, touching on relationships, but also society’s inability to break cycles.
The title track “I Don’t Need Your Permission” brings the album full circle, turning geeky childhood memories and outsider status into fuel. With witty rhymes about Tchaikovsky, Euclid, and Venn diagrams, Strand reframes what once set her apart into her very power. She comes out as “a woman on a mission.”
With this record, Strand doesn’t just reclaim her voice. She hands the megaphone to anyone ready to rise alongside her.
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Review by: Naomi Joan