What does it mean to be in the 8-15% of the worlds population that are left handed? Some say people who are left-hand dominate think about things both creatively and analytically in a different way than righties. If this is the case than it would certainly make sense that Mice Parade's Adam Pierce is south paw dominate; a musician plagued only by his struggle to cram all of his god given talent into each Mice Parade record. I've always wanted to place in band like Mice Parade. Not necessarily a band that is constantly genre hopping from complex folk and to post-rock, to styles like idm, or a project with with unconventional guitar work and mind bending polyrythmic drumming; but rather the freedom and creativity to be able to draw from so many inspirations and create something so incredibly unique and pleasing. The bands pulling of influence from foreign culture's music styles seem to be change from record to record. Whether it's the Chinese influenced sounds of 2001's Mokoondi, to the Brizilian stylings on 2004's Obrigado Saudade, Pierce seems to know how to fit world music into his tightly knit, polyrythmic masterpieces. This go around, West African drums and Spanish flamenco style guitars, hints of Tropicalia, Brizilian Jazz, and occasionally British shoegaze are fused with a first for Mice Parade, Indie rock. whats the result? Astonishing. Pierce bends transforms his international influences and marries them with his new affinity for American pop music. In most all of his records the stand out element is the percussion, however on What it Means to Be Left-Handed, Pierce tones down his bombastic rhythm section and lets the sublime nature of the strings and melodious vocals. In his most accessible record to date Mice Parade trades in vocal help from Mum's Kristin Anna Valysdottir for duets with equally as girlie and babydoll singers Caroline Lufkino, Gregory and the Hawk's Meredith Godreau, and Rwandan/Ugandan singer Somi; all of which compliment Pierces sometimes monotone, but still soothing voice. The overall all tone of the record is more concise than any of his previous releases and even though it boasts his same trebly guitar work and complex drums, it's the one record on this list that i can safely play in the office with my musically spoon fed army co-workers. That's saying something. It's great to listen to a band that is not only capably of putting out solid records, but also continues to get better and better as he grows. It is safe to say that Mice Parade have released my favorite record of 2010, a summer album that's just as good in the winter, an aural cartoon that maintains it's serious nature, a beautifully crafted pop record with all the bells and whistles of high concept avande garde work of art.
-YtWt
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