Field Mouse – “Hold Still Life” Album Review
Posted: by Sean Gonzalez
Stream a track from “Hold Still Life” on YouTube and listen while you read!
Hold Still Life can be considered a debut album. While being the second album release under Field Mouse, it is the first one to feature all four members as one cohesive, full band. Twelve tracks are present on this record, combining fuzzy distortion, crystal clear melodies and soothing vocals. The album is being released by Topshelf Records and is due out July 22nd.
The depth of the guitars across Hold Still Life are very impressive. Opening track ‘A Place You Return To Dream’ is a glossy and fuzzy rock song. While the music is a bit more abrasive and distorted, the vocals are calming, holding just enough of a presence to be on top of the music. The way the vocals blend with the dreamy ‘Two Ships’ exhibits how tight knit this band is. The song travels from eerie melody to riveting chord progressions in a controlled manner. At times the cleaner guitar melodies take over and wrap around the drums, like on ‘Netsuke.’ The opening licks remind me of something that would not be misplaced on a Local Natives record.
Tracks also find themselves on the shoegaze level. ‘Horizon City’ is exactly this genre. Need a more pop ballad? Check out the song ‘Kids’ nearing the end of this record. Field Mouse have intelligently mingled indie rock with elements of shoegaze and pop. Closer ‘Water In The Valley’ dynamically stretches through all of the inspirational elements on this record in four and a half minutes. Make sure you check out Hold Still Life and pick the album up while you still can.
8.2/10
– Sean
