Song of the Day: Field Mouse - The Order of Things

Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. Today’s song, featured on the Afternoon Show with Kevin Cole, is "The Order of Things" by Field Mouse from their 2016 album, Episodic, on Topshelf Records.

Field Mouse - The Order of Things (MP3)

Field Mouse frontwoman Rachel Browne's journey to co-create the band's latest album, Episodic, was emotionally charged by a year filled with personal turmoil. The resulting songs are energetic but thoughtful, and are driven by a blazing necessity to break out of mediocrity and make some sense of life's curveballs. Episodic is the dream pop band's third studio album, and the first to be composed, from start to finish, by the complete five-member group - a collaboration between Rachel Browne (vocals/guitar), Andrew Futral (guitar), Saysha Heinzman (bass), Tim McCoy (drums), and Zoe Browne (synth/rhodes/vocals). After touring for their previous Topshelf release, Hold Still Life, and with the help of Hop Along's Joe Reinhart, the musicians wrote and produced new material for Episodic, which showcases their distinctive live sound, with a little less shoegaze distortion than previous albums and with brighter, more unobscured vocals.

"The Order of Things" exudes a fresh and emotional depth under the guise of an upbeat pop song, with lyrics that pull in listeners through introspective musings, while casting life's questions back out into the world full-force. The buoyant atmosphere, energetic beat, and catchy guitar hooks envelop the band’s signature sound—fuzzy, melodic, instrumental elements shimmer and intermingle with Browne's upfront vocals. For the chorus, the instruments drop back, and Browne wears her heart on her sleeve with a hopeful, almost effervescent, fervor as she croons, "I'm tired and I want to take up space / I'm lonely and I want to see your face / In the order of things, where is my place?"

Field Mouse may soon be in your place, as they're currently on tour in the US and will stop by Seattle at Barboza on October 5th. Look for the full tour schedule and for more music on the band's website and Facebook page. Videos for Episodic tracks are coming soon, but for now, check out the official video for "Tomorrow is Yesterday," a standout track from 2014's Hold Still Life.