Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Mice Parade is the brainchild of Adam Pierce, who is one-fourth of the Dylan Group, an ensemble that rotates between two drumsets, bass, guitar, trumpet, and mallet instruments (like vibraphone, marimba and xylophone). In his one-man-band alter-ego, Pierce employs a similar array of instruments, but the studio-bound nature of his musical process somehow makes it seem closer to "electronica" than "post-rock" (for those who have a clearly defined notion of the difference--it often seems to come down to how many live instruments versus synthesizers are used). Preamble aside, Ramda is the second full-length release from Mice Parade and it's stunning--15 tracks of melodic, rhythmically propulsive electro-acoustic instrumental music that is consistently inventive in its use of sounds and arrangements. The opening track takes a rhythmic base of trap kit and tabla drums, adds a staccato circular pattern of keyboard hits that wouldn't be out of place on a techno record, and builds up interlocking short melodic phrases over the next six minutes using vibes, electric bass, synths, and violins. The cumulative effect is like a short Steve Reich piece with a groove. The next couple of tracks revolve around a harp-like instrument and rapid finger-style guitar arpeggios. The melodic material is static with variations arising from radical shifts in mixing and signal processing--basically the same approach to composing as dub reggae. One other track merits a special mention as one that'll have your less musically adventurous friends scratching their heads. "The Lonely Lounge Piano Player" takes an oddly beautiful piano piece reminiscent of mid-'70s Robert Wyatt and adds a simple drum pattern and some electronics. But halfway through, the tape speed starts randomly slowing down, as if someone is simply pressing a hand against the playback reel, and the result is strange but captivating, which pretty much sums up the whole record. --Bob Bannister
Ramda,Mice Parade,Bubble Core,Indie Rock,Pop,Post-Rock/Experimental,Rock,Rock/Pop
Rock Music:
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