mouse on mars - "iaora tahiti"
american/too pure 9 43056
i've been grumpy lately because i feel like it's a "dry spell" for good new
music. fortunately, i've been saved by Mouse On Mars. their newest LP
"iaora tahiti" has lots of good qualities: weird noises, catchy melodies,
cheesy melodies and a very surreal sense of humor. for some reason the
happy melodies of mike paradinas and richard james irritate me, but i find
mouse on mars to do the trick. for instance, there's "kanu" - it has a
happy boppin' kinda plinked tune with waves of roiling distortion and
feedback hanging behind it, like a wave just before it crashes. then
there's "bib", MoM's answer to jungle. the beginning of it reminds me of
surf music, with the sort of clunky drumming of the era - then the choir
comes in with this weird "la la la" tune and the jungle beat starts
cranking around it. more waves of distortion/feedback float in and out.
the whole thing is surprisingly catchy.
one of the things i really like about mouse on mars is what i can only
describe as their "vagueness." melodies are more often *suggested* by
noises that seem to float in at the threshold of your hearing, or a few
notes of a tune are played by one sound, then there's a gap, and another
sound finishes a phrase. your brain fills in the gap. they put the weird
"extra" noises up front and hide the meat of the track in the back. very
cool technique, and one that rewards close listening.
thumbs up.
--
Name: Jon
Email: jsd@cyborganic.com
Web:
http://www.cyborganic.com/People/jsd