more from
[addicted label]
We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

A Moment of Weakness

by Grey Mouse

supported by
Reek Of STOOM
Reek Of STOOM thumbnail
Reek Of STOOM Well-crafted post-metal dipped in Doom with haunting cello and thought-provoking lyrics.
JoopKonraad
JoopKonraad thumbnail
JoopKonraad Down beat and filled with slow and mysterious sounding instruments that seem to draw out this babbling brook with tiny pencil lines. The cello of course takes centers stage and casts its long and magical shadow across the entire album. Highly atmospheric it touches on certain seventies inspired psychedelic elements but never actually goes that route, it just slowly meanders through the deep thought landscape.
666
666 thumbnail
666 awesome mix of Doors, early Sabbath and goth country blues, cello and cool male vocals, fresh thing Favorite track: On the Run.
/
  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    Purchasable with gift card

      €4.20 EUR  or more

     

  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    4 panel digipak by addicted label
    weight ~53g

    Includes unlimited streaming of A Moment of Weakness via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 5 days
    Purchasable with gift card

      €12 EUR or more 

     

  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    2005 No Masks (just CD, no Jewel Case and artwork)
    2008 Blind & Ugly (Digipak)
    2013 Trip (Digipak)
    2014 Animalism (Sleeve)
    2021 A Moment of Weakness (Digipak)

    weight ~266g

    Includes unlimited streaming of A Moment of Weakness via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 5 days
    7 remaining
    Purchasable with gift card

      €40 EUR or more 

     

1.
Backwater 02:55
2.
Dark Road 05:39
Pale moon is shining, Black clouds are floating, I'm walking on... Cold wind is howling, The road is winding, I'm walking on... The trees are whispering In eerie voices, I'm walking on... Where am I going? Where am I headed? I do not know No light ahead, No one around, No guiding thread, Lost but not found Pale moon is shining, The road is winding, It's much too long No way of knowing, No way of finding, Where I belong The wind is howling, Dark shadows crawling, No sign of dawn While night is reigning And hope is waning, I'm walking on... No light ahead, No one around, No guiding thread, Lost but not found
3.
Oh I've seen it all Been high and low Went with the flow Yet there's still so much that you should know I've seen it all Been high and low Went with the flow All The things I've done The lengths I've gone The fights I've won All about them you will know The more you know The more you grow You'll see much more More that I have ever seen before A day may come When you're alone And far from home I know You will be strong You'll brave the storm And overcome You'll overcome I've seen it all and this I know You will be strong and overcome Oh I've seen it all Been high and low Went with the flow Yet there's still so much that you should know
4.
On the Run 05:14
We'll go places no one's ever been, We'll see things that no one's ever seen, Learn something that no one's ever known, Do something no one has done You know, there's no one left in the world but us, Let me take the wheel and step on the gas You know, there's no one there to wait for us, Uncertain future and useless past You see, there's no one left to care for us, No one can tell how long we'll last You see, there's not much left to do for us, Except for taking the wheel and hitting the gas You know, let's go and make these moments last, We could sit and wait but I think I'll pass You know, we've only got each other to trust, We just take a step and do what we must You see, no use to worry 'bout the future or past, Let's live this day like it's our last You see, no one's left in the world but us, So let me take the wheel and step on the gas
5.
Rat Race 05:27
As I was walking through the valley of the dead, I heard a voice calling out to me. It said my life was like a book no one had read, And there was no way out for me Still I was walking on without a doubt, Somehow I knew it soon would end, Whatever was there waiting up ahead Beyond the heat and wind and sand Far from the prying eyes, Far from the shame, Far from their poison lies, Far from their games Far from the prying eyes, Far from the shame, Far from their poison lies, Far from their games The voice was calling out to me again, It said my life was just a waste, I was a fool and I'm the only one to blame, My journey's nothing but a rat race Far from the prying eyes, Far from the shame, Far from their poison lies, Far from their games Far from the prying eyes, Far from the shame, Far from their poison lies, Far from their games But I was moving on, Along the path ahead, Across the desert sand, The valley of the dead Yes, I was moving on Along the path ahead, Across the desert sand, The valley of the dead There's nothing you have achieved, There's nothing you'll leave behind, You'll never find a way out, You'll find no peace of mind, There's nothing you can create, There's no one you'll ever love, What you only feel is hate, 'Cause you can feel nothing more, And yet you're still moving on, You still have not given up, What's kept you alive for so long? Why don't you have any doubt? What's kept you alive for so long..? Why don't you have any doubt..? What's kept you alive for so long..?
6.
Another day, The sun is up, You're going out, You're still alive Another day, The skies are clear, You're moving on, You will survive Just one more day, Just one more night, A little more, You'll still be there Just one more day, Don't look around, They'll never know, They'll never care The night will come, Then comes the dawn, And with some luck You'll be alive The sun will rise, The clouds will float, And then again You will survive But should you die, No one will see, No one will know, No one will grieve You're all alone, There's no one near, So tell me why You even live? Will you survive another day? Will you survive..?
7.
A storm was raging On the night I was born, Even though it was silent On the night before The moon was a circle Of a soothing light Floating slowly In the murky sky Then came a thunder, Then fell the rain, The wind began howling As if in pain A lightning showed up For all to see, And that's exactly When I came to be My road has been long, My path has been strange, I stayed the same As I tried to change I walked my way With not any care, Looked into the darkness Without a scare The ones that saw me Wish they did not, The ones that knew me Wish they forgot And just one question I've had all along: On the night I die, Will there be a storm? On the night I die, Will there be a storm? Here comes the storm…
8.
Suicide Song 04:13
Do you have what it takes To leave everything behind? Do you have what it takes To burn the bridges? Are you not afraid To take off and fly? Are you not afraid Of a new beginning? Can you find the will To take a step beyond? Can you find the will To look across forever? Will you be prepared To cast aside your doubt? Will you be prepared For the longest journey ever? Will it be too hard To throw it all away? Will it be too hard To purge the feelings? A spark that starts a fire, Or darkness that steals the day? A flame that burns you down, Or a blizzard so chilling? Do you have what it takes To leave everything behind? Do you have what it takes To burn the bridges? Are you not afraid To take off and fly? Are you not afraid To pull the trigger?

about

smart url ⟹ band.link/a766

Grey Mouse is a psychedelic rock band from Russia with a rich history and diverse back catalogue. It was founded in Moscow in late 1990s by Alexey Chunikhin, who has since been the only constant part of the collective as it went through multiple musical experiments and lineup changes

Sticking to its recognizable depressive-psychedelic style, Grey Mouse have gradually expanded their range through unorthodox grunge and etno-laced stoner blues to atmospheric extramundane chamber rock

The band's new material is characterized by smooth and charismatic male vocal framed by laid back country/blues guitar passages and gothic cello sounds. These confessional and pensive compositions inspire meditation and bring about deep thoughts about hidden dimensions of human existence. Mysterious and brooding music of Grey Mouse hypnotizes and absorbs




stonerhive.blogspot.com review by Joop Konraad:
"A Moment of Weakness is a beautifully composed and executed bluesy Americana, country rock album filled with gothic and noir elements. It’s their ninth release (perhaps more?) since Russian Grey Mouse started back around 1990. The vehicle for all that Alexey Chunikhin wishes to convey. Down beat and filled with slow and mysterious sounding instruments that seem to draw out this babbling brook with tiny pencil lines. The cello of course takes centers stage and casts its long and magical shadow across the entire album. Highly atmospheric it touches on certain seventies inspired psychedelic elements but never actually goes that route, it just slowly meanders through the deep thought landscape. Gloomy, dreary and dark the eight tracks evoke images of sand slowly being cast across a table of light turning into the most wonderous of images. But even though you are enjoying this impressionistic, magic realist approach to rock noir, you might feel it’s just a bit too serene, too peaceful for the stories it tries to relate and it could use a waterfall or two or some rapids turning A Moment of Weakness into a twisted twinkling of turmoil…"
stonerhive.blogspot.com/2021/03/grey-mouse-moment-of-weakness.html




Russian jazzquad.ru review by Leonid Auskern:
"Российская группа с богатой историей и солидной дискографией впервые гостит на нашем сайте. Дело тут, видимо, в не совсем «нашей» стилистике, поскольку Grey Mouse – это в первую очередь все-таки рок-группа. Основал ее еще в конце 90-х годов московский бас- гитарист Алексей Чунихин и с тех пор является единственным бессменным участником коллектива. Через Grey Mouse прошло с тех пор полтора десятка исполнителей, и на сегодня (точнее, на момент записи альбома A Moment of Weakness, послужившего поводом для знакомства с коллективом) это квартет довольно необычной конфигурации: вокал – гитара – виолончель – ударные ( в записи разных треков альбома принимало участие двое барабанщиков).

Я внимательно прочел приложенные к линку материалы, внимательно (и с удовольствием) прослушал альбом, и сразу оговорюсь, что впечатления мои относятся только к этой работе и я не берусь характеризовать тем или иным образом творчество Grey Mouse в целом. А услышал я следующее. После недлинного инструментального сольного интро Алексея Чунихина (Backwater) в программу альбома вошло семь вокальных треков, где очень стильный вокал Михаила Кудрея (поет он исключительно на английском) поддерживается медленными, как правило, гитарными партиями А.Чунихина в сочетании с очень удачно вписавшимися в эстетику этой работы виолончельными пассажами Ульяны Волковой. Если искать какие-то стилистические «якоря», то это, безусловно, психоделия с элементами блюз-рока и стоунер-рока. Представьте себе ранний американский психоделик-рок а-ля Iron Butterfly, помноженный на ранние же британские образцы тяжелой музыки а-ля Black Sabbath, и вы получите отдаленное представление о саунде Grey Mouse.

Больше всего мне понравились вещи, где мрачноватая аура композиций выдержана с первой и до последней ноты. К таковым отнесу (понятно, это вкусовое) Dark Road, On the Run и, особенно, Here Comes the Storm. И напротив, смысловая пара (если я правильно понял) песен Survival Song и Suicide Song понравилась меньше. Survival Song звучит куда темпераментнее прочих треков, но и менее стильно, а Suicide Song, как мне показалось, вообще несколько выпадает из контекста программы. Но в целом альбом весьма и весьма достойный, и если кому-то из наших читателей близки упомянутые по тексту стилистики и имена, то A Moment of Weakness он должен просто «проглотить» - и попросить добавки. Но оная уже зависит от дальнейших планов Grey Mouse…"
jazzquad.ru/index.pl?act=PRODUCT&id=5844




writingaboutmusic.blogspot.com review by Scott Heller:
"I have never heard of this Russian band and sing titles and description was pretty intriguing. Not many rock bands have a cello player. Backwater starts slowly with just a guitar playing slowly. This fades down and out and Dark Road starts but that sets the vibe for the record. The cello gives it a sort of morose and depressing vibe on this mostly laid back song. I dig Mikhail’s voice, a bit blues, a bit rough. Better than Me maintains the slow, blues, depressing downbeat music. Slow, steady and moody. Bass line is a bit more present. On the Run is mostly bass, drums and voice with the other instruments not coming in until later. This speeds things up as well until the end which dies out with the cello and slowly the bass and drums come back. Rat Race features the cello again and some passionate vocals. Survival Song is quite a rocking number and uptempo at times. Here comes the Storm has quite a similar vibe to some of the songs before it. A very depressing cello sound, dark guitar strum and bass line. I really like his voice and he sings well in English. The CD ends with the Suicide Song.. I really liked this album but it is pretty depressing and downbeat at times but some great singing and moods in this music. "
writingaboutmusic.blogspot.com/2021/04/grey-mouse-moment-of-weakness-addicted.html




www.dprp.net review by Jerry van Kooten:
"Grey Mouse from Russia have been together for more than 20 years. Amidst several changes in line-up and style, the constant factors have been Alexey Chunikhin and the depressive-psychedelic musical style.

I love the atmosphere. You feel like standing in a desert; the brooding heat dangerous. It's a bluesy approach to psychedelic music with the speed of doom. Omnipresent cello only adds to that image. The deep, dark, rough-but-clear vocals are a perfect fit.

The music never gets heavy, making this album the perfect soundtrack to a whisky-tasting evening. It's like the musical equivalent of a peaty Islay whisky.

The production is very good. Many details are perfectly audible while the dark mood is never compromised by being too clear. Not for the average prog fan. Not your typical psychedelic rock either. But if you cross Nick Drake or Mark Hollis with The Doors, then you'll get the idea."
www.dprp.net/reviews/2021-053




Dutch www.darkentries.be review by Henk Vereecken:
"Doomy psychedelische stonerrock met cello uit Rusland. Grey Mouse stoppen ook elementen van grunge, blues en prog in hun sound. Grey Mouse is een band met een rijke geschiedenis en werd eind jaren negentig opgericht in Moskou door gitarist/bassist Alexey Chunikhin, het enige constante lid van het collectief.

Het nieuwe materiaal van de band op “A Moment Of Weakness” (8 tracks, 38 minuten) wordt gekenmerkt door charismatische mannelijke vocalen omlijst door relaxte country / blues gitaarpassages en de ‘gotische’ cello-klanken van Uliana Volkova. De muziek klinkt downbeat en laid back. De haast mystieke, hypnotiserende en broeierige composities inspireren tot meditatie en wekken introspectieve mijmeringen op over verborgen dimensies van het menselijk bestaan.

Soms doen Grey Mouse me wat denken aan sixties bands als Spooky Tooth, The Doors of High Tide maar het meest doen ze me eigenlijk denken aan de ‘indie noir rock ‘n’ roll’ van het Noorse Le Corbeau waarvan we vorig jaar “IV”, “V” en “VI” bespraken. Ook het ‘gothic blues’ en het ‘alt-country’ genre komen zeer regelmatig om de hoek loeren.

Opener “Backwater” is een mijmerende instrumentale gitaartrack met geluiden van regen en wind. De prachtige tweede track “Dark Road” is zo goed dat ik me alleen al voor deze track het album zou aanschaffen. Maar de derde track “Better Than Me” en de vierde, het vrij heavy eindigende “On The Run”, doen daar nauwelijks voor onder.

"Rat Race" gaat over vastberadenheid en twijfel. Het maakt niet echt uit welke omstandigheden je onderweg tegenkomt, een vijandige omgeving of je eigen innerlijke stem. Je wil om door te zetten is wat de uitkomst bepaalt. De song begint met de lyrics ‘As I was walking through the valley of the dead, I heard a voice calling out to me’. Dat schept de sfeer van het nummer al helemaal….

Ook totaal weg ben ik van het machtige “Survival Song” met prachtig depri gitaarspel en de wenende cello, heel rustig beginnend om na een heavy middenstuk (een soort heavy bluesrock, geen metal), weer heel rustig te eindigen met stemmig (pseudo)akoestisch gitaarspel. In “Here Comes The Storm” komt de cello misschien wel het best tot zijn recht in combinatie met de stuwende, mysterieuze basslijn (ergens heeft het qua sfeer zelfs iets Fields Of The Nephilim). Het album eindigt met de ‘vrolijke’ (ahum) song met de veelbetekenende titel “Suicide Song”, niet gezongen, maar met gesproken poëzie over de muziek. Jim Morrison ("An American Prayer") is hier niet ver weg. De track eindigt met de frase ‘Are you not afraid to pull the trigger…’ en… een schot.

Ze klinken allerminst als grijze muizen deze Moskovieten en de cello zorgt echt voor een extra dimensie aan hun sound. Bangelijk plaatje voor de liefhebber van depressief-psychedelische stonerblues met grunge elementen en een doomy ‘gotische’ touch."
www.darkentries.be/nl/recensies/grey-mouse-a-moment-of-weakness/




mangorave.blogspot.com review by Raphael Lukas:
"A new release by Moscow's [addicted label] always makes me very happy. Hence, today is a good since Grey Mouse are releasing their fifth full-length album "A Moment of Weakness". The band was originally formed in the late 90s by Alexey Chunikhin and has since then gone through plenty of changes in their line-up, and has steadily experimented with different styles of psychedelic and melancholic music. Their newest work can be located in the realms of Psychedelic Folk, Alternative Rock, Alt Country, and the deeply stoic sounds of Soviet Rock.

"A Moment of Weakness" - what a powerful name for an album that is defined by selfreflecting and considerate soundscapes. The sonic construct resembles a person looking back on their own life without remorse, and soberly regarding each part of it - good, bad, and ugly.
Driven by a warm Country guitar, dark Alternative Rock atmosphere, and psychedelically thrilling Folk harmonies, Grey Mouse create a sonic narrative that is both, gloomy and soothing. Outstanding features are the dynamic percussions and drums, and the passionate sounds of the cello.

The only other artist coming to my mind when listening to this album are Argentina's Kutna Hora. Grey Mouse's "A Moment of Weakness" is an impressive album that is ineffably powerful although it is built from smooth sounds."
mangorave.blogspot.com/2021/05/album-review-grey-mouse-moment-of.html

+
German few words for silence-magazin.de also by Raphael Lukas
"Es ist Bandcamp Freitag! Der beste Tag des Monats, um Musik zu kaufen und die Künstler:innen zu unterstützen! Mein erster Tipp ist das heute erscheinende Album “A Moment of Weakness” der Moskauer Psychedelic Rock Band GREY MOUSE. Seit den frühen 90er Jahren steht die Truppe um Alexey Chunkhin für melancholischen und außergewöhnlichen Sound. Die neue Scheibe erscheint bei [addicted label] / No Name Recordz und verbindet Psychedelic Rock, Alt Country, Stoner Rock und die düstere Romantik des Soviet Rock à la кино."
silence-magazin.de/silence-musicfriday-27/




Russian vk.com/stonermusic review by Tony Ventura:
"После очень затяжного перерыва и прекрасного альбома Animalism, вышедшего в уже далеком 2014-м Серая Мышь выпускает свою новую пластинку, которая абсолютно не похожа ни на стоунер-трип, ни на восточный песочный колорит что был раньше.

A Moment of Weakness - это абсолютно другое: музыка для раннего утра в старом баре, печальный меланхолический блюз с гипнотизирующими оттенком."
vk.com/stonermusic?w=wall-26457580_108774




theprogressiveaspect.net review by Nick Hudson:
"I first came across Russian band Grey Mouse last year, with the release of the single Better Than Me, from the (then) upcoming album A Moment of Weakness. I admit that I knew nothing about the band, and from wherever I saw the single shared, the thing that grabbed my interest was the cover art as it immediately reminded me of another mouse – or rather mice – Mice on Stilts, to be precise. I listened to the song, and (of course) it sounded nothing like Mice on Stilts. Furthermore, when I dipped into their back catalogue, it seemed to sound nothing like anything the band had released previously either. Grey Mouse have been a constantly evolving entity (in terms of their music and personnel) since 1990, or thereabouts, with their leader, Alexey Chunikhin, being the only constant.

The biggest difference between A Moment of Weakness and what I’ve listened to from their previous releases is the vocals. Apart from being a far more song-based album than previously, the vocals of Mikhail Kudrey couldn’t be more different from previous vocalists; and not just because of his gender, but in tone, mood, style – everything! Kudrey has an incredibly expressive voice that couldn’t fit the music of this album more perfectly. And the music? Well, yes, that has definitely changed. Stylistically, I guess it still has the progressive psychedelic base that has always been there – but it really is just a base now. The backbone supporting a complete work that has elements of folk, doom, stoner, country, blues, metal and goth. And though electric instruments are used, the feel throughout is more acoustic. It’s sparse and expansive, with space being used as effectively as any instrument in the mix. This means that when the sound becomes fuller or more electric, it has a great deal more impact than it would otherwise.

If Kudrey provides one of the star turns here, the other is certainly Uliana Volkova, whose playing of the cello provides so much of the haunting and melancholic nature of the music. Cello has never sounded so good, nor been so integral, to a rock album. Between Kudrey’s vocals soaring over the top, like a more subdued Bruce Dickinson, and Volkova’s cello providing dramatic flourishes underneath, the rhythm section are working full-time, and sounding fantastic. They sound as good playing with the flow of the music, or against it. I love the way that sometimes the rhythm section are playing a quite up tempo beat that directly contrasts with the downbeat guitar, vocals and cello. Two drummers play on the album, each with their own style, but neither imposes that style on the music, so that if you’re not paying attention, you probably wouldn’t notice.

This is the kind of album that I can imagine there may be some readers questioning why it is being reviewed on a progressive website, but to my ears it definitely fits the bill. Too heavy to be called prog folk, and not metal enough to be called prog metal, it has the sensibilities of both, with that constant undercurrent of psychedelia that is reminiscent of The Doors at their most (self) destructive. If push came to shove and I had to compare them to any other band, it would probably be Indukti. Both bands have a sound that is one part melancholy, and one part menace, and play a heavy style of prog folk, bordering on metal. Indukti has the violin, and Grey Mouse has the cello, so this does make it even easier to make the comparison – but that is certainly not the main reason I am reminded of Indukti. On the other hand, while not ever sounding stuck in the past like some retro bands, Grey Mouse definitely evoke bands of the ’70s, such as the aforementioned Doors, as well as Spooky Tooth and Black Sabbath.

None of this seems apparent in the opening track, the instrumental Backwater, which is solely played by band leader Chunikhin on guitar. But as the second track begins with similar guitar stylings, and then the full band, it becomes clear. This is something special. Never explosive, but always incendiary, the music is constantly flickering in intensity, and as hypnotic as staring at the flames of a fire in the darkness. Dark Road reminds me a little of Acoustic Verses era Green Carnation. Better Than Me follows, being the song that introduced me to the band – and it’s actually my least favourite song on the album! My favourite part of this song is the change that occurs partway through, and this is a trick the band plays often throughout the album. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking you know how a song is going to go, but Grey Mouse definitely do not stick to conventions, and some of their surprises are delicious!

On The Run begins sounding almost industrial, or like a dark ambient piece, before hitting a Sabbath-like groove. Rat Race, on the other hand, has an introduction that sounds caught somewhere between the jangle of indie pop and the gallop of metal. This constant variation in style is impressive given how the band manages to maintain an overall consistency in sound and mood, and maintains interest in the album throughout its length, where the darkness and melancholy might be otherwise overbearing or overwhelming. A Moment of Weakness doesn’t have a moment of weakness for me, and is an album in near constant rotation. No matter what I listen to, I seem to find myself returning to this album. It’s deceptively simple sounding, with enough complexity and variation to keep me coming back for more."
theprogressiveaspect.net/blog/2021/05/20/grey-mouse-a-moment-of-weakness/
www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=2545075




Portugues worldofmetalmag.com review by João Pedro Freitas:
"7/10

Sonoridade bastante relaxante a dos Grey Mouse. Eles apresentam-se como uma banda de rock que traz para o mesmo prato o rock, o stoner, o psicadélico. E até se pode considerer tal como verdadeiro mas ao ouvir este “A Moment Of Weakness” a primeira impressão que fica é a forma como eles usam os espaços vazios, o silêncio. É música que vive muito desses silêncios, o que faz com que o mesmo quando seja quebrado haja um impacto maior. O folk até acaba por ter mais expressividade que até o rock ou o stoner e mesmo assim fica-se com aquele feeling de deserto ao longo deste álbum. Não é imediato e os rótulos que tem em cima poderão enganar mas com uma outra voz, este até poderia ser um disco marcante."
worldofmetalmag.com/wom-reviews-devin-townsend-carivari-zombi-part-chimp-cristina-vane-grey-mouse-holy-toy-no-terror-in-the-bang/




Russian csbr-rock.com review by Сан Соло:
"Начав говорить про дождь, вспомним и про его сводных братьев — засуху и песок. Здесь тоже можно найти место для того, чтобы задуматься о жизни. И если так, то только под альбом Grey Mouse — A Moment of Weakness. Виолончель, разряженные, практически звучащие порознь, барабанные партии, и голос, транслирующий мысли вслух. Все это вместе звучит впечатляюще."
www.csbr-rock.com/post/csbr-radar-10062021




French musicinbelgium.net review by Philippe Thirionet:
"Gros morceau que voilà car si d’un côté le groupe russe fait bel et bien partie de l’imposant colis reçu ces derniers jours tout droit de Russie d’un autre côté, Grey Mouse nous parvient chez nous non pas avec un mais quatre CDs distincts reprenant le dernier opus en date (2021) mais également trois anciennes productions (2005, 2013 et 2014) toutes disponibles via le label russe NoName Recordz d’Anton Kitaev. Donc je vous propose de nous plonger d’abord dans l’effort discographique de plus récent d’une formation ayant démarré les hostilités dès la fin des années 90 et déployant un rock empreint de divers courants comme le grunge, le stoner ou encore le psychédélisme sans oublier une pincée d’expérimental ! Paru en mai de cette année le dernier opus en date avec au départ, une courte intro à la guitare électrique ici en soliste, puis s’ouvre sur une ballade à la fois bluesy et néo-classique :

Une empreinte classico-blues additionnée d’un tempo posé qui, s’accompagne d’un chant lui-aussi posé plutôt proche des crooners US, tout ceci sur une autre composition puis l’on part vers un stoner/grunge posé où le chant est différent et plus poussif nous rappelant un certain rock des seventies sans oublier un fond sonore toujours néo-classique :

On est donc bien dans une mouvance sonore et musicale où, les courants s’entrecroisent voir s’entremêlent au gré du bon vouloir des musiciens moscovites, ces derniers étant aussi capables de construire une très belle ballade folk/vintage :

Comme une ballade rock-folk-grungy nous rapprochant à nouveau d’un style US avec encore une fois, un chant grave et posé qui nous fait pensé au travail vocal d’un Nick Cave ou de certains chanteurs américains :

Au final le groupe russe Grey Mouse nous offre un très bel album fort personnel, souvent posé et souvent émotionnel, qui force le respect. A vous d’en découvrir les moindres méandres par le biais du Bandcamp de l’opus :

Passons maintenant à l’album sorti en 2014 :

On reste donc dans une ambiance folk voir country avec toujours ces relents de rock vintage voir de grunge et de stoner…sans oublier les bruitages et le son du sitar ! Mais aussi celle d’un rock nerveux voir revanchard et tirant sur le punk-rock où, c’est un chant féminin qui tient la dragée haute !

Découverte de l’album sorti en 2013 :

Avec un contenu peut-être plus brut à l’époque, contenant plus d’expérimentations et de sons parfois anarchiques, tout en ayant déjà ce rock nerveux empreint de grunge et de stoner.

On termine cette longue revue discographique par l’opus sorti en 2005 :

Attention n’oublions pas que l’on est revenu en arrière au début du groupe, avec ici un rendu sonore qui possède déjà des effluves du blues ou du stoner-rock."
www.musicinbelgium.net/reviews/grey-mouse-a-moment-of-weakness-3-cds/




Dutch carrysnewundergroundmusic.blogspot.com review by Carry Munter:
"Grey Mouse uit Moskou, Rusland werd eind jaren 90 opgericht door Alexey Chunikhin - solo- en basgitaar.
In de loop der jaren wisselde de band regelmatig van samenstelling en bestaat tegenwoordig verder uit: Mikhail Kudrey – zang, Uliana Volkova – cello, Kirill Chunikhin – drums (track 2, 5, 6 en 7) en Denis Bayukansky – drums (track 3, 4 en 8).
De band bracht in 2005 hun debuut CD "No Masks" via Jagi Jagi Records (Rusland) uit en deze werd gevolgd door: "Blind And Ugly" (CD, 2008, BRP Records (Rusland)), "Trip" (CD, 2012, BRP Records, LP, 69WATT/Anazitisi Records (Griekenland)), "Animalism" (CD, 2014, Soyuz music (Rusland)), "Gaddafi's Crying (Digital, 2014, Soyuz Music (Rusland)) en "Twisted Tango" (LP compilatie, 2015, Musicbuzz Records (Griekenland)), terwijl het nummer "Snow" van het album "Trip" op het verzamel album "Psychedelic World Music, Discovery, Vol. 1" van het Amerikaanse Trail Records verscheen.
Op 5 juli 2021 verschijnt het nieuwe album van de band, getiteld "A Moment of Weakness", waarop 8 nummers staan, via Addicted Records uit Rusland als CD en als digitale download.

Het album begint met "Backwater", waarin Grey Mouse een schitterend instrumentaal nummer ten gehore brengt, dat in een niet al te hoog tempo wordt gespeeld en klassiek geschoolde invloeden heeft, waarna "Dark Road" volgt en de band een puike rustige song met een lichte trieste ondertoon en blues invloeden speelt.
Daarna volgen "Better Than Me", eveneens een prachtig langzaam nummer, dat door het cello spel treurig klinkt en iets over de helft van de song tijdelijk meer snelheid krijgt en "On the Run", een heerlijke song met een gemiddeld tempo, die iets over de helft van het nummer in een langzaam tempo over gaat, om tegen het einde weer in snelheid toe te nemen en naar een climax gespeeld wordt.
In "Rat Race" schotelt Grey Mouse me opnieuw een fantastische vrij rustige song voor, die een aanstekelijk ritme heeft en lichte blues invloeden bevat en halverwege iets meer snelheid krijgt en ook in "Survival Song" krijg ik weer zo'n mooie rustige song te horen, die iets na de helft van het nummer sneller en heftiger wordt.
Verder volgen "Here Comes the Storm" en hierin speelt de band nogmaals zo'n soortgelijke song, die een aanstekelijk ritme heeft en tegen het einde licht psychedelisch wordt en "Suicide Song", een verrukkelijke deprimerende song met een traag tempo, een terugkerend ritme en een trieste ondertoon, die vragen over het leven oproept.

"A Moment Of Weakness" van Grey Mouse is een prima CD met uitstekende rustige nummers staat, die zo nu en dan verdriet uitstralen, maar desondanks gewoon lekker klinken en in raad iedere liefhebber van de betere pop dan ook aan deze schijf eens te gaan beluisteren.(luister naar dit album via de bandcamp link onder de recensie)"
carrysnewundergroundmusic.blogspot.com/2021/06/review-grey-mouse-moment-of-weakness.html




gewgawfanzine.blogspot.com review:
"Grey Mouse comes from Moscow. It's a band that released their first album entitled No Masks, in 2005. Their music is a great mix of psychedelic, experimental, stoner rock, sitar-psych, blues rock, progressive etc. They make sure to dress their music beautifully with other instruments such as the sitar, leading them to more mystical musical peculiarities. Grey Mouse likes the changes as the only band members who are consistent on each of their albums are Alex Chunikhin (bass guitar) and Kirill Chunikhin (drums). In this new release, they are accompanied by Mikhail Kudrey - vocals, Uliana Volkova - cello and Denis Bayukansky - drums (Better than Me, On The Run, Suicide Song). On In A Moment of Weakness what stands out directly is the amazingly expressive, hypnotic, wonderful voice of Kudrey, which fits perfectly with the songs of the album and flows dreamily in each of them. Apart from the voice, however, there is also a cello which coats the songs with a very thin layer of gothic mood. Really, listening to the songs of A Moment of Weakness one by one, I came across an album which is not far from being characterized as one of the top albums of the modern era. The playing of all the instruments stands at high levels, the orchestrations are impeccable, the 8 songs are hypnotic and without being purely psychedelic they sound like they are the most psychedelic songs you have ever heard from a new band!! Special mention should be made of the extremely dark road, the on the run which looks like the most psychedelic song that Sabbath failed to record, as well as the suicide song , one fantastic pure blues/americana/dark song, with guitar and cello as the only accompaniment to Kudrey's recitation. Just magical!! Τhe inner psychedelic flame of the band is inconceivable!!! Recommended!"
gewgawfanzine.blogspot.com/2021/07/grey-mouse-moment-of-weakness.html




Italian arlequins.it review by Mauro Ranchicchio:
"I Grey Mouse sono una band fondata a Mosca alla fine degli anni ’90 da Alex Chunikhin, che da allora ne costituisce l’unico membro fisso; durante la loro carriera, hanno goduto di una certa notorietà in patria in quanto presenza fissa di festival locali e autori di sonorizzazioni di capolavori del cinema muto dei primi del ‘900. Nella loro presentazione, si autodefiniscono autori di “rock psichedelico”, ma vedremo quanto questo attributo possa risultare non troppo accurato per descrivere la loro proposta musicale. Non dobbiamo pensare infatti ad una psichedelia colorata e giocosa come quella dei primordi, né ad effluvi space sull’onda di band come Ozric Tentacles e la loro infinita schiera di emuli. La musica di questa formazione oggi ristretta ad un trio di base (pur con un batterista aggiuntivo ed una violoncellista ben presente) è frutto di una miriade di cambiamenti di rotta apportati probabilmente anche dai musicisti che si sono avvicendati; ciò ha portato la band a virare da un rock-blues influenzato dal grunge e dallo stoner-rock verso qualcosa che probabilmente potrebbe presentare qualche motivi di interesse per una platea avvezza al rock progressivo, anche se includere tout-court il gruppo in tale calderone pare un pochino azzardato. Ciò che possiamo ascoltare in quello che dovrebbe essere il loro terzo o quarto album in studio di piena durata, è un rock da loro stessi etichettato (e concordo appieno) “depressivo-psichedelico” con tendenze cameristiche ed atmosferiche, non immune da qualche sporadica tentazione country-rock alternativo (ma sempre adottando tempi che spesso sfociano in una lentezza snervante e disturbante) e un certo retaggio blues ancora presente ma solo come retrogusto nella chitarra e nello stile vocale. In fin dei conti, una proposta più affine a certe correnti crossover statunitensi che non a quanto si è avvezzi ad ascoltare nel Vecchio Continente.
Gli otto brani, per una durata complessiva che non raggiunge i 40 minuti, sono caratterizzati dalla voce monocorde e leggermente inquietante di Mikhail Kudrey (che se la cava senza problemi con la lingua inglese), adagiata su pigri e languidi arpeggi e accordi di una chitarra elettrica scarnificata, cortesia del già citato fondatore, con il suono gotico del violoncello di Uliana Volkova a sottolinearne una certa vena funerea. Le tastiere sono assenti, la batteria è una presenza discreta, mentre il basso diventa lo strumento portante in più di un’occasione (ad esempio, “On the run”); gli strumenti etnici apparentemente utilizzati nei lavori precedenti, sono stati completamente abbandonati. A seconda dello stato d’animo dell’ascoltatore, queste composizioni così fosche, immobili e cerebrali possono indurre uno stato di quasi ipnosi, stimolare una riflessione meditativa oppure infastidire senza possibilità d’appello. La musica sembra sempre in procinto di anticipare un crescendo, ma i Grey Mouse non sono una band post-rock e la loro scrittura non prevede contrasti e chiaroscuri. Paragoni sensati in ambito progressive sono ardui da enunciare, forse qualche parte strumentale, come gli incipit di “Dark road” e “Here comes the storm”, può richiamare vagamente i primissimi Anekdoten, i connazionali Makajodama o i polacchi Indukti, ma certi accostamenti possono risultare fuorvianti. Qualche scheggia sonora dei The Doors più oscuri è forse riscontrabile in un brano come “Better than me”, in cui le declamazioni di Chunikhin sono accostabili ai lamenti esistenziali di Morrison.
Probabilmente il setting ideale per l’ascolto di questo interessante album sarebbe una tetra serata invernale di pioggia; devo confessare a mezza bocca che ascoltare la chiusura di “Suicide song” (una lettera d’addio seguita dallo sparo finale) in un torrido pomeriggio di luglio ha messo alla prova i miei nervi. Da segnalare la professionalità della registrazione, non qualcosa da dare per scontato quando si parla di autoproduzioni, per cui la band merita senz’altro un plauso."
www.arlequins.it/pagine/articoli/alfa/corpo.asp?ch=7266




kvlt.pl review by Łukasz W, 8/10:
English "If we translated the name of the Russian band Gray Mouse into Polish, we would get an accurate description of their music. The recently released album A Moment of Weakness is modest and minimalist, despite its embellishments, such as an atmospheric cello. Putting the words "minimalist" and "ornament" in one sentence seems to be precluded, but the Russians have managed to make it quite the opposite.

This is mainly due to the opening part of the material - the first three pieces delicately manipulate the entire instrumentation. It is very calm and melancholic with the addition of nice, delicate singing and the already mentioned cello here and there. Each sound has been well thought out by Gray Mouse and there are absolutely no unnecessary elements. The band thrives in the next track on the On the Run track , where it sometimes even sounds aggressive (of course in an appropriate, subdued way) and from that moment it returns to the delicate sounds that open the disc only in the beautiful Suicide Song closing the album . It can be a bit bluesy, there are psychedelic or slightly stoneric moments ( Survival Songwith vocals sometimes slightly reminiscent of what the Queens of the Stone Age kneading Josh Homme ), but above all, the lack of which is the title of the album - protruding from the rest, weak moments. Praise also the Russians for finishing the puck at the right moment - dragging it over could make it tiring in the long run.

And Moment of Weakness is not an album for everyone. It's not even an album for every day and for every humor - melancholy is mixed here with the depressing overtones of music and lyrics (or an unequivocal gunfire crowning Suicide Song ), and the more uplifting or even just energetic fragments can be counted on the fingers of one hand. However, if you like sometimes delicate, atmospheric blues rock splashing with occasional inclusions of other genres, then you should not turn off the discs disappointed after these forty minutes."

Polish "Gdyby przetłumaczyć nazwę rosyjskiego zespołu Grey Mouse na język polski otrzymalibyśmy trafny opis ich muzyki. Wydany niedawno album A Moment of Weakness przez jest skromny i minimalistyczny, pomimo ozdobników, na przykład nastrojowej wiolonczeli. Umieszczenie w jednym zdaniu słów „minimalistyczny” oraz „ozdobnik” wydaje się wykluczać, jednak Rosjanom udało się sprawić, że jest wręcz przeciwnie.

Głównie jest to zasługa początkowej części materiału – pierwsze trzy utwory delikatnie operują całym instrumentarium. Jest bardzo spokojnie i melancholijnie z dodatkiem ładnego, delikatnego śpiewu oraz wspomnianej już wiolonczeli tu i ówdzie. Każdy dźwięk został przez Grey Mouse dobrze przemyślany i absolutnie brak tu elementów zbędnych. Zespół rozkręca się w kolejnym na trackliście On the Run, gdzie momentami zdarza mu się wręcz zabrzmieć agresywnie (oczywiście w odpowiedni, stonowany sposób) i od tego momentu do delikatnych dźwięków otwierających krążek wraca jedynie w zamykającym album ślicznym Suicide Song. Bywa trochę bluesowo, zdarzają się momenty psychodeliczne czy lekko stonerowe (Survival Song z wokalem czasami lekko przypominającym to, co w Queens of the Stone Age wyrabia Josh Homme), przede wszystkim brak jednak tego, co stanowi tytuł albumu – odstających od reszty, słabych momentów. Chwała też Rosjanom za zakończenie krążka w odpowiednim momencie – przeciąganie go mogłoby sprawić, że na dłuższą metę stałby się męczący.

A Moment of Weakness to nie album dla wszystkich. To nawet nie album na każdy dzień i na każdy humor – melancholia miesza się tu z przygnębiającym wydźwiękiem muzyki oraz tekstów (tudzież jednoznacznym wystrzale z broni wieńczącym Suicide Song), a te bardziej podbudowujące czy nawet po prostu energiczne fragmenty można policzyć na palcach jednej ręki. Jeśli jednak lubicie czasem delikatne, klimatyczne blues rockowe plumkanie z okazjonalnymi wtrętami innych gatunków, to nie powinniście po tych czterdziestu minutach wyłączać płyty zawiedzeni."
kvlt.pl/muzyka/recenzje/grey-mouse-a-moment-of-weakness-2021/




expose.org review by Henry Schneider:
"Russian psych rockers Grey Mouse have taken a turn towards the morose with their new album A Moment of Weakness. The eight finely crafted songs are an excellent excursion into American Gothic Western music. Grey Mouse has taken a minimalistic approach and constructed their songs around a reverbed electric guitar and cello. The overall mood conjures images of Robert Johnson meeting the devil at the crossroads, Jim Morrison’s Lizard King, and Gothic Western singer songwriters like Silas J. Dirge. Mikhail Kudrey’s vocals are so pure and unaccented that you would never guess the he is Russian. Various song lyrics jump out at you over the course of the album’s 39 minutes. “As I was walking through the valley of the dead,” “On the night I die, will there be a storm?,” and “Do you have the strength to leave everything behind? Do you have what it takes to burn the bridges?” provide a sense of the doom and gloom that pervades A Moment of Weakness. The sense of dread builds throughout the album and climaxes with a gunshot at the outro of the closing track “Suicide Song.” Pretty interesting music that would be right at home with movies like Natural Born Killers."
expose.org/index.php/articles/display/grey-mouse-a-moment-of-weakness-6.html




German streetclip.de review by Michael Haifl:
"Hier kommt der depressive Psychedelic Rock für Gegenwart und Zukunft, aus Moskau für die ganze Welt.

GREY MOUSE haben seit ihrer Gründung vor über 20 Jahren einige Metamorphosen durchschritten. Zwischen Trance und experimentellen Klängen, Blues und Rock genossen sie auch die fernöstlichen Jams. Das Quartett hat schon Sängerinnen und Sänger aufgeboten, doch nur Gitarrist/Bassist Alex Chunikhin ist bis zum heutigen Tag die verbliebene Konstante in der Bandbesetzung. Am Mikrofon singt derzeit Mikhail Kudrey mit einer milden, aber eindrucksvoll rauen Stimme, das Schlagzeug bedienen Kirill Chunikhin sowie Denis Bayukansky und am Cello finden wir Uliana Volkova. Besonders der Einsatz des Cellos verfestigt eine gewollt gothische Stimmung, die eine latente Trübsinnigkeit bis hinein in die Wahnvorstellung treibt.

Nach einem halben Dutzend Alben und einer sechsjährigen Veröffentlichungsstille erscheint 2021 ´A Moment Of Weakness´. Die Kompositionen fühlen sich aktuell an als würde der gebürtige Stil des Americana in der Eurasischen Steppe Luftholen. Trostlos, aber aufregend, vereinen sich scheinbar die Sechziger- und Siebzigerjahre mit den Neunzigerjahren. ´Dark Road´ und ´Rat Race´ entstammen direkt den Neunzigerjahren. ´On The Run´ hingen den Siebzigerjahren mit dem Hauch von BLACK SABBATH im Groove. Denn nicht nur der Grunge weht bisweilen über die geheimnisvollen Graslandschaften. Es ist ein Rock Noir, der beinahe im suizidgefährdeten Kammerrock endet. Obwohl elektrisch aufgeheizt, besitzen die Kompositionen eine akustische und hypnotisierende Aura. Die Klanglandschaften geben sich stoisch, melancholisch und öffnen eine Tür zu einem eigenen Universum, in dem Folk, Country und Blues gleichermaßen wie Gothic und Stoner Rock, Doom und Metal lebenswillig vegetieren.

Hier geht niemand unberührt von dannen; unter Umständen werden sogar Entschlafene wachgerüttelt.

(8 Punkte)"
streetclip.de/2021/08/21/grey-mouse-a-moment-of-weakness/




seaoftranquility.org review by Jon Neudorf:
"Psychedelic, doom and country flavourings are sprinkled throughout A Moment Of Weakness, the guitar work of Alex Chunikhin having a notable impact on the band’s sound. His playing is slow and thoughtful, picking up psychedelic and country tones, sometimes veering into a more stoner rock sound. Kudrey’s vocals have no detectable accent, at least to my ears, having a lower timbre, and are generally very strong and are a near perfect match for the band’s psychedelic and alt-country musings. “Backwater” begins with thunderstorm effects and mellow guitar lines, the band’s signature sound seems to be drenched in melancholy as a feeling of sadness is certainly invoked. That said, I would in no way call this depressing, but steeped in a minimalistic and easy flowing soundscape, impacted with excellent guitar and morose cello interplay. Psychedelic and country undertones highlight “Dark Road” whereas “Rat Race” features excellent drum work and mellow electric guitar. “Better Than Me” is quite sparse with heavy bass and a slow and steady groove and the slow burning doom of “On The Run” is absolutely outstanding. It’s deep and dark atmospheres are bone chilling.

Grey Mouse has made an excellent album with A Moment Of Weakness. Its doomy and psychedelic nature reeled me in almost immediately.

76/100"
www.seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=23138




Dutch zwaremetalen.com review by Maud Van Durme:
"Grey Mouse is een Russische band uit Moskou die al sinds de jaren ‘90 bestaat maar nooit echt helemaal is doorgebroken. Zo bracht de band pas in 2005 een eerste album uit en een groot succes werd dit niet. ‘De volhouder wint’ zegt het spreekwoord, dus blijft de band gewoon netjes albums uitbrengen. De nieuwste heet A Moment Of Weakness en sprak me direct aan door de omschrijving die het label aan de muziek geeft: depressive-psychedelic grunge/stoner blues. Ofwel weet het label niet wat hij met deze muziek aan moet ofwel is deze band van alle markten thuis. Maakt niet uit welk van de twee het is, het spreekt me aan!

Eerst nog dit.. extra informatie vinden over deze band is niet gemakkelijk. Google denkt namelijk dat je thuis met muizen zit en op Facebook zie ik nu plots overal reclame voor muizenvergif. Dit is het maar beter waard hier…

Na een korte, instrumentale en uiterst aangename intro genaamd Backwater start het album pas echt vanaf het trage en droevige Dark Road. Dit is een uiterst bluesachtig nummer dat inderdaad alle symptomen van een depressie vertoont. Ik kan het nummer wel hebben, maar ik begrijp ergens wel waarom deze band niet lijkt door te breken. De klank is niet echt vol te noemen, sommige instrumenten lopen elkaar in de weg en zanger Mikhail Kudrey kan het niet wegsteken dat Engels niet zijn moedertaal is, en dan druk ik mij nog vriendelijk uit.
De rest van het album verloopt al even mistroostig en droefgeestig. Better Than Me is opnieuw pure blues, maar dan de Russische versie. Geen whisky en sigaren, maar wodka en pruimtabak. Geen zwarte delta blues, maar witte permafrost. Origineel en charmant is de cello die doorheen de nummers weerklinkt. Het zorgt voor wat kleur in deze droeftoeter van een nummer. Opnieuw, heel slecht is het niet hoor, maar wel vrij rudimentair.

Pas vanaf Rat Race hoor ik aanvankelijk een band die meer brengt dan rustige blues. Dit blijkt echter schijn te zijn want al snel zinkt de zanger weer weg in een moeras van smart en wee. Hierna weerklinkt een nummer dat Survival Song heet en ik maak me vanaf nu geen illusies meer. Er komen weer vijf minuten van verslagenheid en leed aan. “Why do you live?” luidt het refrein weinig verrassend. Opnieuw is het de cello die me positief meevalt. Gelukkig want de rest van dit nummer.. nee meer dan medelijden voor de zanger voel ik niet want naar het einde toe hoop ik dat hij dood valt in plaats van te overleven. Gedaan met die miserie.

Ik kijk even naar de laatste twee nummers van de plaat en zie tot mijn afgrijzen dat deze Here Comes The Storm en The Suicide Song heten. Ik kan wel wat depri-shizzle aan, maar zelf ik moet heel diep gaan nu. Suicide Song is trouwens zo droog als een worst. Ik had me aan een knoert van een depri-deun verwacht, maar dit is toch wel ‘next level shit’. Kudrey behandelt deze afsluiter als een gesproken woord gedicht dat wordt begeleid door een ingetogen cello, semi-afwezige drum en een paar simpele doch terugkerende akkoorden op de gitaar. Hierop richt hij zich tot de arme luisteraar en begint een bevreemdende ervaring..
“Do you have what it takes to leave everything behind?” fluistert hij. “Do you have what it takes to burn the bridges?” daagt hij uit.

Wat gebeurt hier? Ik merk nu pas dat de zanger van deze band een hele plaat lang opbouwde naar dit nummer. Zachtjes aan werd ik klaargemaakt om van een brug te springen. “Will you be prepared for the longest journey ever?” vraagt de zanger me nu.. euh nee. Laat me aub gaan meneer. Ik wil mijn mama..

“Are you not afraid to pull the trigger?” vraagt de zanger mij plotseling en er weerklinkt een geweerschot. De plaat is hierna plots afgelopen. Slik. Naar wat heb ik net zitten luisteren? Kan er iemand eens informeren of alles wel goed gaat met deze mens?

Tja, ik heb op de hele plaat geen grunge, geen psychedelische muziek en geen stoner gehoord. Depressieve blues? Check! Naar de rest is het zoeken. Misschien plakt er nog wat stoner en grunge onderaan die leeggedronken wodkafles. Ik vroeg me aanvankelijk af of het label niet wist hoe hij deze muziek moest omschrijven, of dat deze band misschien van alle markten thuis was. Na bijna veertig minuten doodbloeden weet ik het antwoord: het is een derde optie.. het label loog staalhard om mij naar deze zelfmoordplaat te laten luisteren. Niet cool van Addicted Label. Zo niet cool. En nu denkt Google dat ik met muizen zit ook.

68/100"
zwaremetalen.com/albumrecensies/grey-mouse-a-moment-of-weakness



Top 2021 by Henk Vereecken @ Dark Entries:
"Bangelijk plaatje voor de liefhebber van depressief-psychedelische stonerblues met grunge elementen en een doomy ‘gotische’ touch. De cello zorgt echt voor een extra dimensie aan de sound van deze Moskovieten. Ook het ‘gothic blues’ en het ‘alt-country’ genre komen zeer regelmatig om de hoek loeren. Grey Mouse werd eind jaren negentig opgericht in Moskou door gitarist/bassist Alexey Chunikhin, het enige constante lid van het collectief."
www.darkentries.be/nl/nieuws/?nid=6135





thesoundprojector.com review by Ed Pinsent:
"Lugubrious slow songs from Grey Mouse on their album A Moment Of Weakness (NONAME666 766) …this seems to be mainly guitarist Alexey Chunikhin plus vocalist Mikhail Kudrey, though the songs are enhanced quite distinctively by the cello work of Uliana Volkova, who adds a suitably melancholy tone throughout. I like the spartan arrangements here, even if the songs all seem to be set in the same key and proceed at the same tempo, delineating imaginary travels across a quasi-desert landscape in the vein of a book by Cormac McCarthy. This might be why singer Kudrey chooses to sound like a disillusioned Texan cowboy – he may be aiming at a less pained version of Michael Gira, or perhaps a less sexy Jim Morrison. The band also fit into a post-rock and alt.country landscape, and as such might just appeal to listeners who enjoy Godspeed You Black Emperor, Earth, or Lambchop."
www.thesoundprojector.com/2022/03/27/psikhodeda-and-rok-part-2/




progarchives.com review by Kev Rowland:
"It took a long time for Grey Mouse to return with their next album, but in 2021 they released 'A Moment of Weakness' with yet another considerable twist in both line-up and style. Founder and bassist Alex Chunikhin is still there, also now adding guitar, while his brother (I am guessing) drummer Kirill is again in the band but this time he only plays on half of the tracks with Denis Bayukansky providing the rest. Singer Victoria has been replaced by a male vocalist in Mikhail Kudrey while the sitars have both disappeared and how we have cellist Uliana Volkova and no guests at all.

This is the most depressing and downbeat of all their releases, and singer Mikhail is a real find, with clear unaccented vocals which makes one think of the classic, blues-based singers like Jim Morrison, Nick Drake, David Byron etc. There is a great deal of restrained passion and power within his voice, and when he reaches up, he hits the notes and sustains them in a manner which is indicative of someone who has undertaken a great deal of live work and knows exactly what he is capable of. The cello adds a wonderfully gothic and deep feel, and there is far less guitar which allows the band to shine incredibly well on songs like "Better Than Me". Alex is also playing chords on his bass which always adds a different style and timbre to the songs which are thoughtful and polished. Again, there is a great deal of space within the arrangement, and there are times when the music is just drums and bass and the feeling is very much of the late Sixties/early Seventies and one can imagine this being played by The Doors if they were still around today.

Grey Mouse are a band who keep changing and transforming themselves, the result being a series of albums which are all worth investigating, but this is the farthest removed from what they have been doing previously and alongside 'Trip" is my favourite to date. I wonder what they will come up with next?"
www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=2777285




German betreutesproggen.de review by Klaus Reckert:
"Creepy. Da wäre zum einen die Herkunft, Moskau, Russland. Allerdings ist alles, was das grossartige Addicted/No Name Records-Label – übrigens eine Non Profit Organisation – veranstaltet, vollkommen Genozid-unverdächtig. Zum anderen ist es schon leicht unheimlich, wenn eine Moskauer Band – zumindest vom Feeling her – so hart an eine Berliner Combo erinnert. OK, die grauen Nager fühlen sich mehr zu Slow Rock, Dark Singer/Songwriter und Americana hingezogen als die Bluesrocker Mon Dyh. Und singen auch auf Englisch, nicht Deutsch. Aber sonst… Creepy!

Wie es sich genau für so ein Album gehört, beginnt es mit Donnern und einer sehnsüchtig-verhallten, sonst fast völlig clean gespielten E-Gitarre. Nach nur ein paar Takten ist exakt die Atmosphäre bereitet, die Mikhail Kudreys auf ‚Dark Road‘ einsetzender lakonischer, fast Sprech-Gesang als Bühne braucht. Und genau wie bei Mon Dyh ist die Stimme auch das größte Pfund, mit dem diese beachtlichen Grautierchen wuchern können. Nicht, dass die Musik nicht auch begeistern würde. War die Gitarre vorhin schon sehnsüchtig und melancholisch, so ist Uliana Volkovas Cellospiel schon todessehnsüchtig.

Bei ‚Better Than Me‘ werden die Mon-Dyh-Assoziationen schon fast schmerzlich-schön. Das m.E. zweitstärkste Stück des Albums, ‚Rat Race‘, setzt auf die gleichen Trademarks, hat aber eine noch hypnotischere Melodie. Und der – fast buchstäbliche – Killer ist dann das abschließende ‚Suicide Song‘. Und nun ratet mal bitte, worum es hier textlich gehen könnte. Und mit welchem Sound Song und Platte enden…

Bewertung: 12/15 Punkten"
www.betreutesproggen.de/2022/08/grey-mouse-a-moment-of-weakness/

credits

released May 7, 2021

Mikhail Kudrey – vocals
Alex Chunikhin – guitar / bass guitar
Kirill Chunikhin – drums (Dark Road, Rat Race, Survival Song, Here Comes the Storm)
Denis Bayukansky – drums (Better than Me, On The Run, Suicide Song)
Uliana Volkova – cello

label: noname666.bandcamp.com
cat# 766

license

tags

about

Grey Mouse Moscow, Russia

Grey Mouse is a Russian rock band that features elements grunge, stoner of psychedelic, progressive and experimental rock. During its existence, with a different composition of its members, the band has recorded and released five studio albums

tap link for social and streaming band links:
... more

contact / help

Contact Grey Mouse

Streaming and
Download help

Redeem code

Report this album or account

Grey Mouse recommends:

If you like Grey Mouse, you may also like: