The Country Mice 2/18

Twister - The Country Mice

By namesake alone this band immediately seems to belong to Iowa's scene, but so does their foreboding countrified rock.  At times The Country Mice sound like those strung out guitar solos Neil Young still plays, but other times the group presents a sharp, youthful abandonment, not unlike Sonic Youth recordings (including the wall of guitars).  The tricked out guitars are often overdriven, sometimes fuzzy enough to make your hair stand, or float by, crowded with reverb like a canyon concert. At times they are dripping with Spaghetti Western swagger (and maybe pre-Republican Convention Eastwood worship).  Overall, their simplicity and delivery displays their skillfulness and love of Americana Rock.

Jason Rueger (a native of KS) and company gradually formed The Country Mice in Brooklyn over a span of about two years and put out their first full-length album shortly after in 2011 titled "Twister".  It shows the whole spectrum of rock The Country Mice are capable of - a range that can be trippy, but toes a line between Son Volt and Deer Tick at most times.

On February 18, 9:30pm at the Vaudeville Mews doors open for The Country Mice and opener, Brenton Dean a Des Moines singer/songwriter.