Search - Jan Dukes de Grey :: Mice & Rats in the Loft

One of the Weirdest

Fred Rayworth | Las Vegas, NV United States | 12/30/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I was into Captain Beefheart and thought I'd run across weirdness to the extreme, but when I found this gem in the base library at Torrejon AB in Spain in the mid seventies, I had to admit I had not heard it all.



The songs are long weird pieces with a scant sound that almost makes them seem like half the tracks on each song are missing. Yet, despite that impression, I kept playing this album over and over again. The album was also unusual for the fact that it had only three tracks. The band has been a big mystery to me for almost 30 years because info on them was practically nonexistent. I stopped listening to Mice when I stopped using my reel to reel and I may still have that tape buried in my garage. I'll have to dig it out someday.



Update. I finally dug out my reel to reel and burned this to CD. The fidelity is horrible but the music still comes out nicely. Yup, it's as weird and as wonderful as I remember. A fresh listen brings out more progressive than folk influences with a whole lot of weirdness thrown in. The vocals have a nasal, wavering quality that adds to the whole vibe. This is good stuff!



If you can find this gem and are ready for something unusual, you won't be disappointed.

"

Progressive rock at its finest

Gyorgy Makranczy | Kansas, USA | 04/18/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I just bought this CD, which I havent't listened to since I sold my turntable. Yes, this is a little weird music, perhaps not for everyone, but you get the same quality as with "Pete Brown and his Battered Ornaments". I absolutely like these albums for being so unique. Such music you can only find on this album and nowhere else.

The sound is not really what the sticker says on top: "1971's acoustic folk album". Well, 1971 may be correct. The rest are false. What you'll get is acoustic guitar with electric amplification, and flute/clarinet/saxophone played with great intensity. There's an orchestra in the background (which I do not normally like, but here works to a great effect). This is not really what folk music is about. I would rather call it prog rock.

Bottom line: You won't find this boring!"