There are few bands that hit with the mix of raw emotion and musical talent as a live City Mouse show. There are even fewer bands that can capture that live feeling on a record. It’s been a long 7 years since Get Right, but So Far Out keeps it moving as if no time has passed. Of course, the world has kept turning, and you’ll hear all about Miski Dee’s adventures on the record because -- if I had to distill the content of City Mouse’s songwriting to one word -- these songs are personal.
Speaking generally, Get Right was a breakup record. Now, So Far Out is a story of self-reflection and empowerment. “What’s the opposite of pain?” she asks at the start. It’s about acceptance and embracing your fate. But enough about themes and metaphors. First and foremost, this is a rock ‘n’ roll record. The guitar takes over the opening track, “Four Leaf Clover,” within mere seconds after you drop the needle and it doesn’t let up. The song structures are classic, with ripping guitar and spitfire lyrics mixed with catchy, punky perseverance. The songs range from 1:38 to 4:35, with only one song over 3:30. It’s full of spit and vinegar, as they say, yet short and to-the-point. Soulful punk may be the term.
A few of these were previously released as singles/EPs, but it all fits together as a single record. The title track is a great example, as the powerful vocals range from anger to empowerment to self-discovery -- often all at the same time. While it explores personal and dramatic themes, the overall sound, thanks in large part to the guitar, is high-energy catharsis. I’d hold up “Rotten Thing” and “Not Lonely” as additional examples if you’re testing a few songs while you read.
At times you’ll find hints of pop in “Not Lonely” or “Shine Your Light.” It’s easy for me to imagine the latter song with a synthesizer and, while that description makes it sound like an outlier, it fits the larger sound. Roughly half of the songs fall somewhere in the middle between loud rock ‘n’ roll and catchier pop music, such as “1,000 Butterflies” and “Big Mood.”
In contrast to the pop, though, this LP feels a little more gritty on the production side. Miski’s big vocals roar and soar, and they don’t require extra polish to hit their mark. In an era of earworm singles, Spotify and endless jingles, So Far Out is a throwback to the era of rock ‘n’ roll records. It’s accessible and relatable due to the shining first-person personality that comes through, but with hooks and emotion to make it personally relatable. As the record closes, Miski asks “Am I real or just a song?” I think the answer is clear.
City Mouse is one of my favorite bands going today, and you can probably tell that already.
