Bats & Mice - A Person Carrying a Handmade Paper Bag is Considered as a Royal Person

After Bats & Mice cemented their name into the indie-rock canon with the moody, dynamic rock of Believe It Mammals comes this short, succinct EP as a follow-up. However, what this EP lacks in length and overall content, it makes up for with a set of songs that mark a departure and effective transition for this threesome. On A Person Carrying a Paper Bag is Considered as a Royal Person, Bats & Mice portray a bit more energy and vitality than they have on past recordings with a sound that is more lean and drives harder. This, perhaps, is due to the acquisition of new drummer Luke Herbst to the fold, as the rhythmic backbone is noticeable tighter and more propulsive as it builds an effective foundation for the chiming guitars and earnest vocals. Still, Royal Person is not wholly original or even necessarily special, with the band coming eerily close to territory that Ted Leo and Engine Down have already trampled. Nonetheless, this EP is a solid, if still suffering, recording. [www.batsandmice.com]