My Friends. Mousey

Is it possible to be further apart on this world for me than with someone living in Christchurch, New Zealand? A late uncle always told me when I was small, when I was digging in my grandparents' garden near the shed as a small kid, amazed at seeing worms and centipedes and such, smelling the peculiar earth scent: "keep digging and you will wind up In New Zealand. I always gave up before reaching it.

What I have not given up on, is listening to Mousey's second album. Tipped by Flying Nun's newsletter, My Friends has become a musical friend, accompanying me for a few weeks already. It's time I shared the album with you.

Mousey is Sarena Close from Christchurch. A singer, guitarist, keyboardist and songwriter releasing her second album after her debut, 'Lemon Law' from 2019. My Friends is an extremely varied album. Mousey is not afraid to play what is presented to her when writing songs. The opening song, 'My Friends', is extremely different from the next, 'One Dollar Wednesdays', to the next 'The Bench'. A piano ballad, an indie rocker and a punkrock song turning into an alternative pop song. Three songs, three moods, all three interesting and good.

Where her voice is concerned, Dolores O'Riordan comes to mind, minus the enormous breathy way of singing. Just as easily she bends her vocal melodies in ways reminiscent of the great Britpop singers. Musically, she is all over the place. Just listen to 'Rachel' and note that it's a piano ballad but of such a serious kind that to call it modern classic is not so much beside the point, had her voice not been inadequate to be a classical singer; lucky for me. She's Mousey and putting her own stamp on 'Rachel'. The link to fellow New Zealander Reb Fountain, is quite close here. Also note the atmospheric noises in the background, most likely an electronically treated violin, mixed in the background, yet prominent.

The mix of music makes My Friends in one sense unbalanced. The extremes are considerable. People able to enjoy a punkrocking pop song, followed by an atmospheric ballad and a modern equally atmospheric folk song, 'Pudding And Pie', follow Mousey on her musical adventure. This is what My Friends is. Sarena Close has decided to give this album her all and not certain parts of her or holding herself back. In fact, 'Pudding And Pie' proves the complete opposite. The song explodes in the second half, to become the loudest one on the album. Mousey rocks some more, with loud, screeching guitars, drums and bass. She really gives it her all on My Friends.

It's people who do not like extremes and especially not within one album, that may give up listening to this album. For me, it is one big running the gauntlet of joys, surprises and emotions. Mousey gives her all and I can only conclude that this all is a lot. An album very much worth while checking out.

Wout de Natris

You can listen and buy My Friends on Mousey's bandcamp page:

https://mouseynz.bandcamp.com/album/my-friends