Merry Cherry Bomb, the one-person project of multi-instrumentalist Allie Gardner, operates in a hazy space between bedroom pop and psychedelic punk, pairing dreamy textures with a sharp emotional pull. Her latest single “Thrilla Gorilla” pushes that sound further—built on echo-drenched drums inspired by Yoko Ono’s “Greenfield Morning…” and shaped by fuzzy tones and attitude pulled from Norman Greenbaum and Tame Impala. Entirely self-written and recorded, the track leans into distorted guitars, punchy rhythms, and layered vocals that feel both intimate and explosive. To get a clearer picture of its off-kilter energy, here are five songs that helped shape “Thrilla Gorilla”, the newest single from Merry Cherry Bomb.
“Greenfield Morning I Pushed An Empty Baby Carriage All Over The City” by Yoko Ono — The one and only Yoko-related song I like…this features John Lennon and a really unique, echo-drenched drumbeat from Ringo Starr. This was the song that originally inspired “Thrilla Gorilla,” most notably its own echo-drenched drumbeat.
“Spirit In The Sky” by Norman Greenbaum inspired both the fuzziness (that tone is masterful!) and the sarcasm.
“Steel and Glass” by John Lennon — This lesser-known track was probably part of the inspiration for the venomous lyrics, power, and horns. “Well, your mouthpiece squawks as he spreads your lies but you can't pull strings if your hands are tied.”
“Where Nobody Ever Goes” by Killing Floor — A less obvious choice, but the punch of the kick drum, along with the mix of distorted guitar and harmonica, helped inspire the combination of distorted guitar and horns.
“Keep On Lying” by Tame Impala — This song was probably part of the inspiration for the overall sonic texture of “Thrilla Gorilla.” The two-part harmony comes from thinking about Lennon/McCartney-style vocals, while the echo and overall feel of the track leans a bit Tame Impala-esque.
From Merry Cherry Bomb herself Allison Gardner:
I began recording “Thrilla Gorilla” in New Orleans back in 2022 after hearing “Greenfield Morning I Pushed An Empty Baby Carriage All Over The City” by Yoko Ono and being blown away by the echo-laced drum track from Ringo Starr, as well as the almost ‘90s-like feel of the recording (from 1970!).
I asked a drummer I knew to come up with his own version of that drumbeat, which then got drenched in a very rhythmic tape delay. The riff was actually recycled from a short, in-between-tracks transitional piece from an album by my former band The Frogz. It was such a spooky little riff that I felt it deserved more than just a 30-second instrumental. I was inspired to say something lyrically real, and I think the beauty of the words is…they speak for themselves 😉