Album: “Up, And Let’s Go!”
Artist: Hillmouse (Tyler Gordon)
Release Date: Sept. 6, 2024
Rating: A
Columbia-based solo artist Hillmouse is back two years after their last album with a profoundly nostalgic set of tracks. Even without having personally experienced the kinds of events portrayed in “Up, And Let’s Go!", Hillmouse certainly puts the listener right there in the moment of this album which feels like an emotional retelling of a resurfacing memory.
Tyler Gordon, the artist behind the moniker “Hillmouse,” released two tracks from this album as singles over the past year: "Nerf" and "Quake." These two tracks filled the gap between the last album titled, “See You In The Car,” which came out in October 2022, and the latest album, "Up, And Let's Go!"
Hillmouse certainly did not disappoint with this newest release, flexing their indie rock prowess. “Up, And Let’s Go!” was undoubtedly worth the wait.
"Nerf"
The album opens with “Nerf,” setting the mood immediately with a powerful rhythm guitar and a hopeful, nostalgic tone that gives the slightest hint of a surfacing memory. There is no doubt that "Nerf" sets up the rest of the album to follow this memory as it unravels and evolves into a story worth experiencing.
"Crime"
Track two titled “Crime” takes on a more melancholy feeling. “Crime” explores a feeling of longing before picking up halfway through with a more upbeat guitar solo. This solo exemplifies the best parts of the remembrance, it is almost as if someone is recalling a fond memory.
"Quake"
If “Crime” was the reliving of the memory in the moment, then “Quake” represents the reminiscence of it. “Quake” takes on an almost eager tone as if this person is looking to possibly rekindle the memories they so fondly recalled in “Crime.” The lyrics "Careful what you make and don't hold me down, I'll catch up when I can" feel as if someone is trying their best to compromise just to make things work. Following directly after these lyrics, there is a brief musical solo that sounds almost triumphant and hopeful before returning to the ethereal, raw, and saddening chorus; "My love, are you made of terror?"
From here on out, “Up, And Let’s Go!” leaves the remembrance of the past behind and brings the listener back into the present.
"Hole In The Wall"
Track four, “Hole In The Wall,” pleads to listeners, as if the conversation started in “Quake” became more desperate. The lyrics “I’m nervous enough to miss you, sober enough to complain” tells the listener about the tension in this exchange. Yet through this somber conversation, an optimistic high note can be heard with a triumphant guitar solo at the end of the track.
"Crack Up"
Even though an optimistic theme has made itself known, track five, “Crack Up,” opens with a regretful acoustic guitar that remains throughout the track. The lyrics “Overwhelming gravity and bad behavior / blame it on the lord and I’ll return the favor” exemplify this feeling, as if a promise from tracks three and four was broken.
The remaining five tracks follow this back-and-forth of emotion that Hillmouse conveys, jumping between regret, optimism, reconciliation and acceptance.
"Fire Away"
The final track, “Fire Away,” however, feels like a jump into the future where the speaker is looking back on all of the events that have unraveled and is coming to terms with the here and now. While they possibly regret what happened, they still recognize the warmth and joy of those memories even though all good things must come to an end. This is exemplified in the lyrics “What if we never noticed when they’re pulling at the seams / perfect modeled fractures to erase my memory …”
Hillmouse's new album expertly conveys an emotional rollercoaster of events through inventive lyrics while remaining aware of how musical instruments influence emotion and memory. While some of the tracks can feel a bit repetitive, especially in regard to the musical structure and motifs in the guitar solos, it doesn’t stop each track from shining in its own unique, heartwarming way.
“Up, And Let’s Go!” is Hillmouse’s best work yet. It takes the listener on a deeply nostalgic journey, as if they are right there experiencing every beat of this story. Hillmouse has no doubt delivered another album that will find a place among the favorites of indie rock fans.
