Search - Mouse & the Traps :: Fraternity Years

Mouse & The Traps - 'Fraternity Years' (Big Beat) 4 1/2 star

Mike Reed | USA | 01/17/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Until now, I have vaguely even heard of this psychedelic / garage band from Tyler, Texas. Apparently, the band put out plenty of good singles between 1965-69. But, no albums. No problem, this twenty-five track compilation says it all. Tunes I found myself playing over many times are "Public Execution" (sounds SO much like Bob Dylan, it's almost scary), "Maid Of Sugar,Maid of Spice", "I've Got Her Love", "I Am The One", the Monkees-like "Promises,Promises" and "I Satisfy". Line-up: Ronnie 'Mouse' Weiss-vocals, Doug Rhone-guitar&vocals, David Stanley-bass, Randy Fouts-keyboards and Don Garrett-drums. Should appeal to most fans of the Standells, Chocolate Watchband, Gentrys, Kingsmen and the Outcasts. Essential."

The definitive volume on great East Texas 60s garage rock ba

hyperbolium | Earth, USA | 08/22/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This Tyler, TX band achieved their greatest international fame a half-decade after they first laid down the Dylanesque "A Public Execution" in the mid-60s. The exposure came from the song's inclusion on Lenny Kaye's legendary "Nuggets" double LP and revitalized interest in the group's entire catalog of singles. The resulting interest spawned early vinyl-mastered reissues on New Rose, and finally, this authoritative CD release drawn from the original master tapes.



Mouse is Ronnie Weiss, a singer whose normal singing voice is a dead-ringer for Dylan's nasal delivery. "A Public Execution," Weiss' 1966 kiss-off to an ex-girlfriend, found the sort of disjointed regional radio success that never gained the critical mass needed to chart nationally. The band developed fans in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Ohio and Kentucky, but never graduated beyond their contract with the Cincinnati-based Fraternity Records. The single's B-side, the horn-lined "All for You" is perhaps more indicative of the R&B material the band turned out in live performances across oil patch towns in East Texas. Still, this was the mid-60s, and like Jim Sohns of The Shadows of Knight, Mouse lent a cocky edge to the band's blues.



The follow-up single, "Maid of Sugar, Maid of Spice," sounds even more like the Shadows of Knight, with bedspring-twangs of fuzz guitar punctuating the mile-a-minute vocals and R&B band rave-up. It's a truly sweltering piece of mid-60s garage rock. The flipside, "I Am the One" introduced the band's proclivity for folk-rock, which also included the Byrds styled buzz and jangle of "I've Got Her Love" and the Dylanesque "Like I Know You Do." The latter was the flipside of a novelty (written by one of the label's investors) "Would You Believe," that's been omitted from this collection (and by all reports, to everyone's advantage).



Mouse tackled other styles, including the baroquely styled "Hand in Hand" and "As Far as the Sea," and the twangy production pop of "Promises, Promises." Even further afield, the record company's search for commercially viable sides resulted in the bubblegum "L.O.V.E. Love," the wistful "Sometimes You Just Can't Win" (also recorded by the band's studio mate, John Fred of Playboy band fame), and the 1968 organ-led psych sides "I Satisfy" and "Look at the Sun." None had much sales impact, but they did provide space for infectious B-sides like the rocking "Lie, Beg, Borrow and Steal" and the harmony laden "Requiem for Sarah."



Big Beat's 25-track collection sports seven previously unreleased tracks, including a ripping cover of The Yardbirds "I'm a Man," a funky, James Brown styled take on "You Are My Sunshine," the party-time arrangement of Dallas Fazer's "Mohair Sam," and the original protest folk-rocker "Nobody Cares." One might have hoped for the band's non-Fraternity sides (originally released on Hanna-Barbara and Epic), or the novelty "Would You Believe," but their absence is a nit. An introductory essay from the band's producer and detailed liner notes from reissue producer Alec Palao round out a solid package documenting a mid-60s Texas garage band that should have been more widely known in their own time. [©2006 hyperbolium dot com]"

"Dylan and Friends Sing Garage"

collegemoney | 10/12/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The first song, "Public Execution," delivers the predominant message in the music, Texas garage strongly influenced by Dylan's early electric period. Specifically, vocals heavily borrowed from the man himself and "Highway 61 Revisited" instrumentations, particularly in the organ and guitar. The police siren even makes an appearance later in the CD. The guitar licks in "Public Execution" are pure "Like a Rolling Stone."

To be sure, other influences abound, the CD is like a musical "Where's Waldo." Doors keyboards, psychedelic Donovan, lush pop arrangements ("Requiem for Sarah") and a James Brown treatment of "You Are My Sunshine" (!). The title "Fraternity Years" refers to the record label on which these originally appeared, not the maturity level of the performances.

Lots of material here, enjoy!!!"