Happy Release Day!!!

Today, May 10, 2011, Mock Orange release their newest full-length albume, 'Disguised As Ghosts'

(Album photos by Brooke Grace) brookegrace.com

Check it out, the new album came out today!  It's available everywhere digital music is sold. Physical copies are also available on CD and vinyl.  The fastest way to get those is to GO HERE. Or you can pick one up at the Album Release Party.  Also, I've been meaning to give a heart-felt shout-out and 'Thank You' to my Niece,Isabelle Cates, who was a good sport being our little ghost on the cover. Maybe I'll frame the vinyl for her or something...  

 Mock Orange-End Of The World by wednesdayrecords

Tracklist:

01 - Grow Your Soul Away

02 - Silent Motion

03 - My Car

04 - Sidewalk

05 - I Can Sing

06 - Feel It Now

07 - End of the World

08 - Going Away

09 - Roll Your Eyes

10 - Stop and Go

 The video for the album's first single "Grow Your Soul Away" will drop this Fall starring Simon Liley and Isabelle Cates. It was Written and Directed by the Great, Brandon Dexter. I'll be sure to post it here once it is released.

RECENT REVIEWS FOR 'DISGUISED AS GHOSTS'

Alternative Press

Mock Orange's first proper studio album in nearly three years takes the band's kinky indie-pop/rock and truncates it significantly... It's not far off the scale of what Fake Problems were doing on It's Great To Be Alive, from the bizarre, minimal trappings of "My Car" and Built To Spill looseness of "I Can Sing" to the wispy yet bright folk of "Going Away" and more dynamic threshold of "Roll Your Eyes." ...They even give longtime fans a wink by reconciling their post-emo era with those noodlier guitars of yore on "End Of The World," which is propelled by a lead riff that provides perhaps the album's most memorable moment.

Synconation

The album opens with the track "Grow Your Soul Away," a straightforward song swarming with lush, bigsby bending guitars, crucial mandolins, and Ryan Grisham's (vocals, guitar) warming vocal tones complete with subtle lyrics: "Kicking the can down by the river, sunspots shiver up and down..." It's an appropriate introduction that sets the mood for the intricately layered, yet accessible songs that Disguised as Ghosts offers. You could say that this is beautiful rock-n-roll . . . and not have to worry about being corrected.

The album's second track "Silent Motion" is a clever jam that marries a distorted bass with some down home banjo picking. Reminiscent of Transmissions-era Flaming Lips," My Car" is a fine example of the ever-evolving sounds of Mock Orange. The guitar riffs are quite inventive and ridiculous (in that good way) when the beat drops 42 seconds into the song. "I Can Sing" takes me back to the reason I fell in love with this band 10 years ago. Heath Metzger is by far one of the best drummers in this genre. The tight attack he shares with his band mates is nothing that can be taught or learned . . . it's a gift.

The award for the most beautiful song of 2011 (so far) goes to "Going Away." It's a real award, I swear.

"Stop and Go," the album's closing track sounds as if George Harrison and David Bowie collaborated with Mock Orange. The guitar solos and vocal arrangements are something special. "The train is slow, stop and go, disguised as ghosts...invisible." Yeah, I don't know what it means either. I just know it's brilliant.

Redefine Magazine (Rating: A)

For their latest record, Disguised As Ghosts, Mock Orange once again reinvent themselves as a folkish pop rock band. The album's second track, "Silent Motion," features a banjo, but the fuzzy bassline and syncopated drums recall Revolver-era Beatles. Midway through the album, "End Of The World" stands out as the track that can bring together kids who grew up on Mock Orange in the late nineties with ones who heard of them because of Captain Love.

Overall, it's worlds away from their breakout record, Nines And Sixes, and yet, it's Mock Orange's ability to try new things and constantly reinvent themselves that have kept them going strongly while their contemporaries from a decade ago have either broken up or hit the reunion tour circuit, left to play the old hits

BabySue

The last time we heard from the guys in Mock Orange was back in 2008 when they released their well-received Captain Love album. Disguised As Ghosts picks up where that album left off, but this time the songs are delivered in a more simple and straightforward fashion. But don't expect quick easy canned pop...because even when they're shooting straight from the hip these guys' music is somewhat strange and complex. The press release that accompanied this disc compared the band's music to The Flaming Lips, Built To Spill, and My Morning Jacket. We can hear traces of these bands in the music of Mock Orange...but to us the overall vibe is more nervous and frantic. We liked the last album...but Ghosts hits the target even harder. Cool winding pop melodies are featured in tracks like "Grow Your Soul Away," "Sidewalk," "End of the World," and "Stop and Go." Truly neat stuff... Top pick.

Emotional Drumming

The focus here is Disguised as Ghosts, and on it can be heard great melodies sung by a voice not too unlike Doug Martsch's or Jeremy Enigk's, layers of interesting and enjoyable guitar lines and some truly fantastic drumming. All the songs are good to great, and this is just one of those random gems that pop up a couple times per year.

The Badger Herald

Mock Orange's new album has its own set of songs to fall in love with, such as "Silent Motion"and "Grow Your Soul Away." "Silent Motion" is my prediction for the crowd favorite. I have never heard the banjo played outside of corny country songs, but Mock Orange actually makes the banjo seem hip. In a time where electric guitars have stolen the hearts of many youngsters, Mock Orange brings the banjo back and actually makes it sound cool.

Mock Orange is humorous, and beautiful. "Going Away" slows everything down and has the manliest of men shedding a tear at the beauty of the song. The instrumentation compliments the vocals perfectly because neither is too overbearing. The ear is able to hear elements of both the vocals and instrumentation equally.

If Death Cab For Cutie, Band of Horses, or Radiohead is part of your music collection, you should definitely check out Mock Orange. They might be less known, but it would be a welcome addition to your ears. Mock Orange is able to keep their music consistent in sound, while at the same time capturing different tones and tempos, keeping things interesting and fresh.