I hope you are all having a great Summer. I am turning my attention to the new Mary Strand album today that has just been released. Nutella loving Mary Strand released her debut album “Golden Girl” in 2023. This is what her press release tells me: “I Don’t Need Your Permission, from Minneapolis-based lawyer-turned-novelist-turned-musician Mary Strand, was inspired by a near-death experience that shifted her perspective on the world, society, and her life. The songs ask what’s important in life while exploring themes of empowerment, especially from a woman’s perspective, with a new sense of outrage about injustice. The first four singles from the album all landed in the Top 10 of the Radio Indie Alliance Top 100 overall worldwide charts. “Least of All Her” hit # 1 on the RIA worldwide chart.
Recorded and produced in the Twin Cities, the 12-song “I Don’t Need Your Permission” primarily features Strand on guitar and lead vocals, Smith on guitar and vocals, Wade on bass and vocals, and Jack Strand – Mary’s son – on drums. The album was mastered by Greg Reierson of Rare Form Mastering.
My review:
The album runs to 12 songs and stands at just under 35 minutes.
Album release date August 1, so out on all platforms now. It is released by Hygh Tension Records/Virgin Group
“Take Your Time” – this punk edged pop number opens up the album in an open road drive commercial style (plenty of ‘ooh oohs). Some fast guitar riffs and rolling drums take us on our way. It has the radio feel that comes with a sing along chorus.
“Yours Until Tomorrow” continues a positive vein musically, loads of bounce and a nice little cynical line in the lyric. It rolls along through my headphones and I liked it!
“Costa Rica” feat. Ryan Smith. This one changes direction a bit. A slightly slower beat moves this rock/pop song to the beach and a catchy little chorus. I’m happy for a message in a bottle (if it has JD on the rocks!) and the track remained happily in the album groove.
“Ditch Your Fate” feat. Mark Wade. We have a rock ballad with “Ditch Your Fate,” a positive track that is extremely listenable. The vocals from Mary Strand emotively connected with this one and the instrumentalization was simple but effective.
“A Place to Roam” brings a bit of funk into the mix. This was interesting and I like a bit of a twist of Hemingway. I enjoyed the little touches of intertextuality and the beat was great and danceable with a sway. It is a warm day song and I connected to this one well, “my agent is going insane…” we have all been there!
“Stay Or Let This Go” is a return to that beach! The guitars and drum sound keeps a holiday mood, whereas the lyrics are more in sleepless night territory. It was, however, a cheerful little earful.
“Wanna Talk Dirty” as the title suggests is about colours! The harmony background singing works well and the whole song zips along with both style and a touch of dazzle.
“Least of All Her” has that bit of angst that comes with ‘the other woman.’It is a song about violence between couples and those feelings that come when you could cheerfully strangle the other person in a relationship! There is never a winner in those situations, and there is plenty of in your face attitude in the lyrics – ‘I pray you are fucked on judgment day.’
“For All of Us” (Dear Taylor) leads with a great drum sound. It is one of those tracks where the drum beat definitely drives the car and we have a decent mid-album track here because of it. I liked the chorus too, but the drumming kills here!.
“If We Could” is one of the lighter pop style numbers on the album. It is a light breakfast of a song with a slight bitterness in the coffee!
“I Don’t Need Your Permission” has another solid vocal from Mary Strand and the song makes waves nicely without moving out of the general lane for this album.
“Does Any of This Really Matter” closes the album with some lovely guitar work and a story to tell. I enjoyed the song and it was definitely one I could listen to again, it was a strong closer for an interesting album.
In summary:
“I Don’t Need Your Permission” doesn’t set out to reinvent the wheel—but it doesn’t need to. Mary Strand delivers a confident, cohesive album that blends beach-day vibes with a side of grit and lyrical sass. There’s empowerment, there’s edge, and there’s just enough sparkle in the songwriting to keep things interesting across all 12 tracks. It’s the kind of album that feels like it belongs in the passenger seat of your summer road trip—reliable, fun, and not afraid to call you out when needed.
Strand’s strength lies in her storytelling and her knack for keeping the tunes punchy and personable. While the album occasionally plays it safe sonically, there’s no denying its charm or the conviction behind it.
Standout Tracks: “A Place to Roam,” “Ditch Your Fate” and “Take Your Time.”
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You can stream music from Mary Strand here
By Tracy Nash
- a brief word about me! I am a new name here at Rock the Joint Magazine. I am a student taking journalism at University and I am doing an intern role here at the magazine over the Summer 2025 before starting properly at university. A thank you to Mark and Benny for giving me a chance to write full pieces and I look forward to doing some more up until September.