Maus Haus

Combine the complexity of classical music with the catchiness of indie pop, then toss in some surrealist lyrics and lots of synthesizer, and you’ve got the general idea of SF-based Maus Haus’ unmatchable sound.

The six-man band is comprised of Joe Genden, Jason Kick, Josh Rampage, Aaron Weiss, Sean Mabry and Tom Hurlbut. Charming, approachable and playfully sarcastic, the group seems to share an endless knowledge of all things creative and, based on what we’ve heard from their premier album, “Lark Marvels,” a raw talent for making music.

From the frantic blend of bass to danceable layers of sax and vocals with a punk-like energy, Maus Haus is in an electrifying genre of their own. “It’s like taking pop and jazz and just shuffling it all up and looking at it a different way,” Jason says in regard to their sound. The band members have, for the most part, cast aside any creative restrictions, allowing everyone to dabble in the countless number of instruments that they use. “Everyone basically plays anything and everything at any given time,” explains Joe. “Everyone wants to feel like they’re part of the song before it’s done.”

As fresh as the band’s songs are, they’re quick to acknowledge the influence drawn from predecessors. “Of course, everything’s been done before,” theorizes Tom. “You take everything that you’ve heard and everything that you’ve learned and all of the vinyl that you’ve piled up and you crap it out on stage.”
Though the band is starting to gain some much deserved attention, Maus Haus hasn’t left their loyal fan base behind. They’re still playing all-ages shows, and when their first demo was out the guys took the time to mail them—complete with a one-of-a-kind drawing and personal note—to anyone who requested one. Says Josh, who was responsible for most of the messages, “I had fun writing little, random, nonsensical notes to people.”

We’re betting that this gracious attitude, along with the music, will assure the band some staying power. “We want to make music that people can sway their heads and sing along to, but we want those songs to mean something ten years from now too,” says Jason. Judging from this first sampling, we hope they’ll stick around too.

Check them out at Bottom of the Hill this Saturday, January 26.