PRESS
Excerpt from 2024 ShoutOut Colorado interview:
“People think that Appalachians are a monolith of uneducated, white, straight folks with backwards ideas and no idea of the world around them, and that’s simply not true. Many people in the region are working towards change and are beautiful diverse people with beautiful diverse ideas who need help and visibility. There are goth Appalachians, queer Appalachians, and Appalachians of color who all have a complicated relationship with their region, but nonetheless both grow the culture and respect their roots. I honor and showcase that culture in my music and I make it for myself, but also for all the folks like me that know we’re not all that different, and we also have something special to bring to the table.”
OutFront Magazine excerpt from the October issue’s interview:
For Bonnie & the Mere Mortals, the term “Southern gothic” is very literal, as they find themselves with one foot in country and the other in goth and shoegaze, all with queer lyrical themes. It’s a creative blending of genres that seems to attract listeners of both the country and gothic persuasions and finds odd connections between the two cultures.
See the whole article and photospread on pages 20-24 here.
Rainbow Rodeo on Evaline:
Bonnie Ramone has lived quite a few lives, and that comes to bear on her brand of country music. The tattoo artist and metal guitarist returned to her West Virginia roots on her EP Tennessee. Now, on Live & Unplugged at the Club Cafe (out August 4), Bonnie Ramone & The Mere Mortals showcase their chops — particularly Ramone’s bourbon-smooth singing voice that is equal parts Cash and Robert Smith. On “Evaline,” Ramone delivers a sweet reverse-“Jolene.”
Country Queer on Tennessee:
“To have a queer identifying artist write about Tennessee as a place they’ve felt embraced is progress… even if the song is lamenting the loss of that feeling in the wake of challenges to freedoms we all hold dear.”
The B-Side Guys on Tennessee:
The raw, soulful twang of Bonnie and the Mere Mortals’ “Tennessee” taps into a rich vein of alt-country, echoing the likes of Neko Case and Margo Price, but with a strikingly intimate and humanizing edge. . . It’s the anthem for those who long to be seen and heard, and a beautiful reminder that sometimes, the destination is not as important as the journey itself.
Interview with Authority magazine for medium.com
Bored In Pittsburgh, on the 2019 Deutschtown performance - "it was like watching either the rootsiest shoegaze show ever or the haziest bluegrass show ever."
Divide and Conquer, Review on the Tennessee EP - "If you're looking for a healthy dose of girl power and elegant brooding, Tennessee is a fine concoction to wrap your lips around. While dark and mysterious, this EP is never desolate. There are thick veins of sticky sweet nectar pumping through this music and it's delicious. I highly recommend checking this one out and try to not be surprised or at least raise an eyebrow. This one has that subtle something special."
Bored in Pittsburgh on the CURSES single - "a menacing hoedown"
Haus Noir - "Bonnie looks exactly like the kind of person I want to befriend, but she and the Mere Mortals SOUND like the kind of people I had to immediately add to my daily driver playlist."
The Pittsburgh 100 - "an infusion of Appalachian roots and the soul of the South help deliver visceral punches ranging from acoustic ballads to anthems backed by thumping bass and electric guitars."
First Angel Media on Southern Gothic - “I enjoyed how this album infused a lot of elements from diverse genres. I hope that Bonnie and the Mere Mortals can keep on experimenting with these as they create more nostalgic and colorful work!”
