Although revered in certain indie circles, for far too long
the Field Mice appeared in danger of languishing as the great lost pop band of the early '90s, with their records out of print and fetching obscene prices on the collector's market. A lavish two-disc retrospective worthy of their growing legacy, the extraordinary
Where'd You Learn to Kiss That Way? finally restores the group to their rightful prominence, assembling all of the key tracks they released on the legendary Sarah label between 1988 and 1991. With their shimmering guitars, indelible melodies, lush arrangements, and Bobby Wratten's heartbreaking songs, in retrospect
the Field Mice now seem like the missing link between
the Smiths and
Belle & Sebastian -- at their best ("Emma's House," "This Love Is Not Wrong," "Coach Station Reunion," and countless others), they achieve the same kind of pop transcendence, spinning tales of love and loss with an elegance and grandeur that are often breathtaking. And while it's a shame Shinkansen didn't opt to include a third disc and release the band's complete recorded output, each of the 36 tracks which did make the cut sparkles. No longer lost,
the Field Mice were simply a great pop band, and with
Where'd You Learn to Kiss That Way?, their music might finally reach the wide audience it so richly deserves. ~ Jason Ankeny