Alicja Trout is one busy lady. Not only does she play in the Lost Sounds, the Fitts, and Destruction Unit, she’s the guitarist and main vocalist in Mouserocket. And much like John Reis (Rocket From the Crypt, Drive Like Jehu, The Swamis), being so busy and so involved (she runs Contaminated Records and distro out of Memphis, too) it doesn’t show at the kneecaps that she’s stretching herself too thin because none of the bands she’s involved in are slouchy. Mouserocket isn’t as synth-driven as the Lost Sounds, art damaged as Destruction Unit, or wrecked garage as the Fitts. Delicate is a good way to put it. The songs are more eerie, sad, and organic. Overall, this CD reminds me of the best of Bongwater, minus the more irritating fuck-your-ear noise bits and tracks that you swear they didn’t know the record button was pressed. So, all in all, it sounds otherworldly, yet it lends its hand out to the listener in a very accessible way, which doesn’t happen very often. It’s experimental but well realized with firm strokes. On first listen, my favorite track was the cover of the Damned’s “Alone Again Or,” but as I got more familiar with the musical scenery I like the album as a whole, from start to finish. The more I listened to it, the more I thought of it almost as an audio accompaniment to a darkly themed children’s book. Mouserocket would be perfect for a Where the Wild ThingsAre or a Series of Unfortunate Events movie, and that’s not a slight in the least.
–todd (Empty)