The 2kDozen 500: #271 - John Maus, "A Collection of Rarities and Previously Unheard Material"

"Angel of the Night" sounds a bit more like "banjo in the night", I can tell you that much. I don't know if he was involved with Ariel Pink, but there is a similarity. I know he was involved with Animal Collective.

There's a sense of Goth theatricality (2004's "Mental Breakdown" in particular). There's a reference to "fucky eyes" (I think) on "Bennington", which reminds me of The Chap. "Big Dumb Man" is also dancing on some hysterical edge between operatics and piss-taking pastiche: "Big Dumb Man can't convey/Any emotion". "Lost" is even further off on some random wander around a piano with arhythmic bass and "madcap" vocals.

"Rock The Bone" threatens to do just that, as John does an Elvis experience: "When I call you on the 'phone/You'd better rock the bone." It's all tinkling, crystal synths and clumsy-finger bass; something that fell down in the last drop of Eighties rain. Very b-side business. "I Don't Eat Human Beings" is a great title; the tune has some great noises; but there isn't much of a tune there. Or anywhere. They were unheard for a reason, as the old adage might go. "So far away from love" sounds such an Eighties lyric too. Like something The Bunnymen might come out with. "My Hatred Is Magnificent" sounds like a Blancmange out-take.

All in all, nice atmospheric scraps and threads with some silly arse vocals served on top. Cheese on toast.

Rating: Fucky Eyes out of Banjo In The Night