Mice Parade - Mice Parade.

Mice Parade, huh? Do you just dig out stuff you know we won’t know? Get your kicks like that, do ya Buddy?  And next you’re gonna tell us that they’ve been around for ten years so that not only do I feel uncool now, but I’ve been uncool for a decade! Extra salt for that wound?

Well, let’s start a club then comrades! Because until recently I hadn’t heard of Mice Parade either. And I’d love to think that I haven’t been missing out – But I, and I hope some of you too, have been missing out.

This, their self titled seventh album, not only doesn’t sound like previous Mice Parade albums, but it doesn’t sound like anyone else either. (The very reason I went out and tracked down four of the other six). Adam Pierce (anagram, anyone?) is a percussionist. Not suprising then that Mice Parade’s compositions start with drums. The twin drum kits not only provide a beat to hang a melody on, they also become part of the melody – to such an extent that it would be easy to believe it was very sophisticated electronic drum programming.

The album opener “Sneaky Red” layers from the precise patter of drums and acoustic guitar My Bloody Valentine inspired shoegaze-noise with delicate keys keeping the melody in mind. Such accomplished composition helps prop up lyrics like “Girl, I miss you now much more/ Than I ever did before. On “Double Dolphins on the Nickel” (which apparently is a reference to another band I haven’t heard of) features vocals by Kristin Anna Valtysdottir of Belle and Sebastian fame. Her kitten like saccharin tinged voice moves from Icelandic to English. Isn’t everyone Icelandic these days?.

So join me as we explore this great band together, and when someone else asks who we’re listening to, we can say Mice Parade. You haven’t heard of them? Where have you been man?

THINK: A soft focus Sonic Youth

READ: NO web pages! How underground!

WATCH: ‘Tales of Las Negras’ live or on KCRW

BUY: Mice Parade from Fat Cat Records

And with Ratatat I end my mini obsession with instrumental rock. It isn’t the genre I would have picked to start this blog with – but dems de breaks, as it were. And while this album was released in 2006, I have just come across these guys. And here on Triplejaysus, if it’s new to me then that’s news.

Classics is the second outing by Brooklyn duo Ratatat. Unlike the other instru’rock artists offered up, Ratatat aren’t at all overly cerebral. They write immediately arresting hooks, use samples that are on the kitsch cusp, and like to rock out Yngwie Malmsteen style.  They try to transcend rock and beats, using angular breaks, acoustic and slide guitar and the odd sleigh bell.

‘Wildcat’, below, features the only vocals on the album, and was the obvious inspiration for the album cover image. It reminds me of the pared back guitar harmonies of Brian May & Eddie Van Halens Star Fleet Project. For that reason alone it gets 4.5 crows!

THINK: Joe Satriani with out the perm, Briam May meets the Neptunes

READ: Ratatat’s homepage or myspace

WATCH: Ratatat perform “Gettysberg” at Guggenheim Museum (NYC)

BUY: Classics at allofmp3.com

Pelican - City of Echoes

These things always seem to come along in threes. I’ve been getting quite excited about the Battles album – I needed a post-mogwai rock instrumental hit – and then along comes another.
Pelican, a four-piece band from Chicago, will be releasing their third long player, City of Echoes, in June. Previous releases have been organic in theme and packaging – images of clouds and song titles like ‘Autumn into Winter” set the tone.

City of Echoes is a little different however, concentrating more in the built environment. ‘Bliss in Concrete’ and “Dead between the walls” are both grimy tracks, that struggle to keep a NIN-esque informed pessimism at bay.

Far from Fields, the leaked track below, is different though. This track is seven minutes of optimism that could almost be the closing theme to any happy road trip. It’s the sound track to an excited arrival.

Metal is going through an exciting renaissance at the moment. The boundaries of what is metal are being pushed harder than ever right now, and mostly by some old hands.
Isis, Mastodon, and Tool are all blending indie introspection with mathy virtuosity which I just love.

THINK: Isis sans vocals, Mogwai at 11

READ: Pelican’s swish homepage or myspace

BUY: City of Echoes at Insound.com

 

Battles release their first full lenght album Mirrored tomorrow. This US math rock band has a collective history in bands like Don Caballero, Lynx and Helmet, and certainly know a thing ot two about musical experimentation.

 ’Atlas’, the first single is set to be a classic. The video is is directed by Timothy Saccenti and is bound to get stacks of airplay. Where bands like Mogwai and Sigur Ros draw the line creatively, Battles plough on fearlessly. This creative freedom can sometimes give way to chaos. Leaked track ‘tonto’ is not one of these times. It’s a brilliant instrumental rock classic, powered by ex_Helmet drummer, John Stainer.

THINK: Mogwai’s older, angrier brother

READ: Battles homepage

WATCH: ‘Atlas’ video here

BUY: Although Mirrored is out tomorrow, you can buy the older stuff at bleep.com