Mouses are guitarist and vocalist Steven Bardgett and drummer Nathan Duff, a lo-fi garage punk duo from the North East. For those aware they already know this is one hell of an album. For those that don’t are only a spin a way. Some of these tracks have been nurtured over a long time and many a sweaty stage.
Mouses turn up and rip through the 13 songs on this album at unbelievable speed, yet here is an album with intricacy and elements that you may miss on the first listen. You get a sense that this album is a grower that starts off brilliant and but only gets better and better as the grunge unclean punk worms its way deep.
It’s messy, rough, and fun-filled, all of which make Mouses such an exciting live act. How will they manage to capture the essence of a live Mouses gig seems like an impossible question. However, in 5 seconds of the first track, ‘Edison’, you realise they have gone a long way toward doing just that.
The guitar, drums, and wild vocals of Bardgett may not sound like much sonically, but these guys sound cavenous. And Although Bardgett’s playing may at times sound loose and frenzied, it’s actually hiding an exceptional skill. It’s not easy to craft guitar hooks like these and also sing. Track ‘Fiends’ allows Bardgett to expand with a little ditty guitar solo thats as lyrical as his singing but nothing is what you could say showing off. Yet the technical skill to pull off playing like this and not sound showey is very high indeed.
A duo they may be, but even so they are as tight as they can be. The tracks are packed with quick musical full stops and breaks between drums and guitars that are hit with such precise perfection that it goes unnoticed. Instead, the joy of the band’s song craft is what the listener hears. Tracks like ‘Jackanory’ is a great example of these guys almost telepathic partnbership.
On ‘Illusion’ Bardgett delivers vocals in his chaotic style whilst Duff’s drumming attempts to tidy up the sporadicness into coherent punk songs. ‘Nostalgia’ has an American feel along with ‘Hawaii’, and not just for the title, and ‘Doris’ is Happy Days on crack. Not just masking the guitar work the lyrical genius is something that hits you after a few spins as you start to appreciate the hypnotic vocal phrasing that masks the intelligence behind these tracks. ‘Worm’ is a drum-beating call to arms, music that they will set marches to.
A short breathing space and a hint of the Mountain Goats with ‘Inigo’. Sheer genius from the lyrics to the rolling guitar chords and homemade sounding percussion. ‘Inigo’ is a moment where pure talent is captured in its rawest form. Nothing is dressed up or perfected
Equinox is loud and proud of what this album is about. Be Who You Want To Be. ‘Planet’ carries it on with some of the best lyrics written this side of covid with a clear message delivered in the straight-talking heart-hitting brilliance of this band.
Check out the opening track Edison, below:
Purchase the album here
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