Minneapolis band Mouthful plans winter break from touring to write new record

Minneapolis indie rock band Mouthful intends to stop touring this winter to focus on writing and production. The group announced these plans while reflecting on a recent show at 7th Street Entry. This shift allows the members to lock in on new material before releasing it to the public.

Mouthful consists of singer-songwriter Bean Bastounes, Chloe Penny, Mia Pariseau, Alex Waibel, and Emily Schnoover. Several of the members are former students at the University of Minnesota. The band formed years ago when Bastounes and Penny discussed music on a porch during a birthday party. Penny offered to play Bastounes' songs, which started the collaboration.

The group expanded in the past year by adding Pariseau, Waibel, and Schnoover. Both Waibel and Pariseau had seen the band perform before joining. Waibel said, "I thought to myself, I needed to be in this band. These songs are really awesome." Pariseau noted that the music made her feel emotional, which prompted her to join.

Bastounes writes the lyrics based on her background in creative writing and poetry. She draws from her experiences, emotions, and dreams. Penny described the writing as imagery-heavy. She said it brings unconnected things together to create a story in the listener's head rather than explicitly telling them how to feel.

The band released their EP Grieving Ritual in May 2026. This was their first project with all current members. The EP includes the song Fruit Fly, which was inspired by an infestation in Bastounes' apartment while she was recovering from pneumonia and going through a breakup. Bastounes said she found something poetic in that situation and wanted to conjure that image through a song.

The band performed at 7th Street Entry on Thursday, November 5. Guitarists Penny and Schnoover missed the show. The remaining members experimented with their sound using a pedal steel guitar, a violin, and an acoustic guitar. Bastounes said the focus was on making the songs more intentional without the volume of three guitars.

The group plans to take a break from shows to work on new music. Bastounes said, "Hopefully this month and this winter we can start locking in on writing because I'd love to put out new music. I have a bunch of songs that I want people to hear." Pariseau observed that Bastounes has shown growth in her writing approach over the past year.

The members cite the accessibility of the Minneapolis music scene as a factor in their development. Pariseau said she has attended house shows since she was 15 or 16 years old. She noted that it is easy to show up to a show and pay five dollars or no money. The band values the honesty and relatability of the local community.

Mouthful has another show scheduled for Saturday, February 4 at 7th Street Entry. Their music is available on streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. They post updates on upcoming shows and releases on their Instagram account at @mouthfulmusic.