About John Maus

[jessi]

For those that stumble upon this site without knowing much about John Maus:
Everyone, how would you describe him and/or his music? I recently referred to his music as lo-fi eerie melodrama for the ear. Use as many or as few words as you want.

Here's what some other people had to say:

John Maus is a maniac on a bloody crusade; a tortured evangelist on a mercenary quest to rid our world of villainous defilers of The Gospel of True Love. By turns shockingly infectious and disarmingly unpredictable, his music conflates a perplexing marriage of Moroder's 'Never Ending Story' and classical 12-tone renegades of 20th century past, harking THE NEW path which resurrects romance from its post-modern shackles, and reignites the promise of a better world.

http://www.upsettherhythm.co.uk/johnmaus.html

John Maus lives and works in Austin, Minnesota. Although best known as a core member of Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti and keyboard player with Animal Collective's Panda Bear, Maus is a musician with a distinctive sound of his own.

http://www.upsettherhythm.co.uk/johnmaus.html

It took this Ariel Pink cohort five years to write and record his debut album, and only five minutes to become more annoying than Ariel Pink.
- CMJ

For me, this is just too weird. The first couple of tracks make this the most skip-able album of 2006.
-Subba Cultcha

Apparently, Maus spent five years working on this album, which is a shame because, frankly, its awful.
-Vice

There isn't one song you could call 'good' on the whole album.
-Music Zine

Overall, I can't recommend this album even as a novelty listen. Maybe I just don't get it. It seems as if Maus sabotages practically any hint of an interesting melody, lyric, or instrumental part with a blatantly grating one at almost every turn.
-Indie Workshp

Maus's baroquely deadpan voice - and thats being polite - effectively spoils many a song. Some will hear a little Nick Cave in it; others will hear a man crapping out of his mouth.
-Drowned in Sound

If it is supposed to be funny, it is not. If it is meant seriousy, then Maus needs some SERIOUS help.
-Another Zine

http://www.myspace.com/johnmaus

But don't take my word for it!

[jessi]

John Maus crafts brittle electro-pop with absurdly baroque keyboard flourishes, that sounds like the mid-point between a rave and a church organ recital. Althought it is musically very different from Ariel Pink's songs, the "feel" of the two is very similar: like Ariel Pink, John Maus' music comes across like a flickering, over-exposed home-video from the 1980s. It's intensely personal and often beautiful music, the sound of memories and daydreams.

http://www.upsettherhythm.co.uk/UTR003/press/fact.jpg

[cavejam]

hey i have a tiny Q; how old is jm?

[dean]

Well going by the demos he said he was 13 in '93, so that should make him 27.

[cavejam]

thanks!
he looks so much younger though

[mcshanno]

John is 27. I know because I asked him the other day.

[jessi]

[mcshanno]

fun John Maus fact of the day... John really likes 80's action movies, especially those starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, etc.

[dean]

He's also a big fan of Lost, and lives close to where it is filmed*

* that bit may have been misheard, but he definitely is a fan of Lost.

[Golden Magikarp]

fun John Maus fact of the day... John really likes 80's action movies, especially those starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, etc.

HOLY SHIT

me too. I always knew I wasn't alone.

[dean]

John Maus votes Obama

Assuming none of you have a plan for us to achieve anarchy by next November, and at the risk of legitimating liberal democratic (i.e., capitalist) "politics," I must concur with Ashley:

"Don't just go out and vote, VOTE FOR OBAMA!"

[amausisnotahome]

I heard that John loves Calculus, despises Geometry and thinks Algebra is a waste of time and resources.

Any truth to these rumors? JM, are you out there?

[dean]

FACT - John Maus turned 28 today!

[mamamaus]

Happy Birthday John!!!!!!
Have a great day. We miss you and love you!
Mom, Dad and Steph

[kelly]

happy birthday to yoooo