“We wanted to be called Motherfucker (but) the record label didn't appreciate that and neither did our mothers,” said Mother Mother frontman and guitarist, Ryan Guldemond.

The band's name, Mother Mother, was doubled primarily for continuity and ease after they were asked to change it from just Mother.

“We didn't want to shake up the momentum by changing the moniker,” said Guldemond.

Mother Mother, from Quadra Island, B.C., has gradually been making a name for themselves — doubled or not — with their plucky sound. Guldemond describes it as “a cross between commercial music and atonal, experimentalism, weird and tuneful.” The boy and girl harmonies add an extra element to their almost ‘80s-like beats.

Gossip blogger Perez Hilton deemed them “one of the most exciting bands coming out of Canada” and they've started to “plant the seed in foreign territory” as they performed in Britain this past summer, said Guldemond. In the UK, they got back to the basics, playing smaller “nostalgic” gigs than they book in their home country where they're becoming well known.

They're currently touring their critically acclaimed sophomore album, O My (heart), which they released in 2008. The five-piece band, including Guldemond, features his sister Molly on vocals and synthesizer, Jasmin Parkin on vocals and keyboard, Jeremy Page on bass and horns, and Ali Siadat on percussion.

For a band whose harmonies were once referred to as something Queen would be proud of, or so said UR Chicago magazine, Mother Mother has surprising difficulty doing the most rudimentary task of being in a band: singing.

“Freddy Mercury would not be impressed with us. The act of singing came easily to him. Singing feels like a big fat struggle for us. There are certain extra-strength painkillers that aid in the act of singing,” said Guldemond.

But despite their supposed struggle, the band manages to create catchy and danceable tunes. For Fanshawe students who are not familiar with the band, they'll be able to check them out when they come to campus September 16 and 17. But don't expect a thought-out performance — Mother Mother takes a more organic approach to their shows.

“We definitely try and carpe diem when we try to plan shows,” said Guldemond. “So much of the day is logistics … (when) you finally get to the stage to play music for people, it's so fleeting and magical so you try and invest quite passionately.”

Mother Mother will be at Forwell Hall on September 16 for an acoustic set at noon and on September 17 again at Forwell Hall for a full-blown set. To learn more about the band and to check out their music, visit http://mothermothersite.com.