Anomie is the recording project of Field Mouse’s Rachel Browne. With the help of some friends, she has recorded a self-titled EP that was written in the space of a week during a trip to California. As described by the Father/Daughter Records bio “What emerged was a time capsule for the experience – the music functioning as a therapeutic means to alleviate the heartache Rachel felt in the moment.”

Given the condensed writing period and short turnaround, you will not be surprised to hear that the EP is urgent and vibrant, loaded with an immediacy that is very difficult to feign. Opener ‘So Long’ is a great example of this, a 90s indie pop gem that explodes out of the blocks and continues with the fluid assuredness of a champion sprinter, the lyrics both strong and confident, Browne’s metaphorical gold chain jouncing with a determined rhythm.

From here the EP decelerates. ‘Of You’ continues the 90s pop feel but has a forlorn edge, and by ‘Overnight’ the tempo crashes to form a track bathed in a melancholic moonlight. Closer ‘Funny Now’ is similarly plaintive, the guitars fuzzy and atmospheric and claustrophobic around Browne’s lyrics of isolation and remorse. Again the immediacy is clear, the wounds still open and wet and stinging like hell.

Imagine Michael Johnson had stormed down the track at Atlanta but, instead of waiting for the medal ceremony, he kept going and going, gradually reducing in speed and energy until he eventually dragged himself up his staircase and locked the door to his bedroom and spent the next few days contemplating just how raw and sad and messy all this being human stuff can be.

You can buy the EP now from the ever-excellent Father/Daughter Records.

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The two Jurado covers are from Slowcoustic’s fantastic Covers Project, the Rufus Wainwright one is from Pickwick’s Fuel/Friends Chapel Session and the Dire Straits cover was included after reading an article on the late Matt Ryd on Cover Lay Down. I have no idea what is going on in the Mac DeMarco track.

Tracklisting:

1. Falling (Twin Peaks Theme) – Field Mouse
2. You Took Your Time (Mount Kimbie Cover) – Julia Losfelt
3. Talamak (Toro y Moi Cover) – Houses
4. Thinking About You (Frank Ocean Cover) – Typhoon
5. Heysátan (Sigur Rós Cover) – Leif Vollebekk
6. No Other Love (Jo Stafford Cover) – Night Beds
7. Foolish Love (Rufus Wainwright Cover) – Pickwick
8. Beacon Hill (Damien Jurado Cover) – Small Houses (w/ Kevin Killen)
9. We All Make The Flowers Grow (Lee Hazelwood Cover) – Siskiyou
10. Father and Son (Cat Stevens Cover) – Johnny Cash & Fiona Apple
11. Indie Queens Are Waiting (Dan Mangan Cover) – Will Driving West
12. Fade Into You (Mazzy Star Cover) – J Mascis
13. Fit (Windmill Cover) – Snob Dylan
14. Don’t Let Them See You Cry (Manchester Orchestra Cover) – Ted Monday
15. Isolation (Joy Division Cover) – If Thousands
16. Medication (Damien Jurado Cover) – Wes Tirey
17. Drive All Night (Bruce Springsteen Cover) – The Swell Season
18. Romeo & Juliet (Dire Straits Cover) – Matt Ryd
19. Gypsy He-Witch (Jason Molina Cover) – Will Oldham
20. Medley (Various Covers) – Mac DeMarco

As always, the mix is intended as an introduction to these artists. I have put links in the tracklisting so you can explore a bit further. Enjoy!

The Covers Mix: Volume #9 from Wake The Deaf on 8tracks Radio.

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