Mooses

From the bottomless pits of Detroit urban sprawl, there have been very few post-punk groups that smoothly implement indie song structures and polyrhythmic themes without careening into a self-destructive and untraceable obscurity. Mooses' sparing imposition of odd time signatures and dynamic instrumentation contrast passionate vocals with assertively catchy bass melodies and adept, percussive harmonies. Facing the dissolution of Pulp Culture in 2015, Alex Brown and Andrew Zerbo introduced the idea of a streamlined indie rock group to Andy Scott. The trio sifted through a list of over 3,000 names before falling back on Zerbo's sputtering and irrationally hilarious false plural. Relying on minimalist part-writing and dynamic effects, the original concept for Mooses was simpler than its influences allowed. Citing inspiration from groups such as Sonic Youth and Talking Heads, as well as video game soundtracks by Koji Kondo and Takashi Tatseishi, Brown and Scott took their initial compositions too far outside the realm of commercial restraint for Zerbo to follow, and in the summer following their inception he decided to leave the band. Brown and Scott continued their arrangements, introducing the project to Rob Louis. Mooses debut self-titled LP was released in November of 2024, considered weird to many and precious to some. The band continues its calloused approach to an otherwise jaded modern industry, gathering every week to combine influences of classical, jazz, progressive rock, grunge, and blues. For Mooses, music is an art form as transcendent as it is fun.