Emma's House - By The Field Mice
TITLE: Emma's House
ARTIST: The Field Mice
GENRE: Dream Pop / Twee / Indie
MOOD: Sweet / Nostalgic
SIMILAR TO: Jesus and the Mary Chain, Another Sunny, McCarthy
The Field Mice’s debut single, “Emma’s House”, is not as critically acclaimed or as popular as their second single, “Sensitive”, but in plenty of aspects it is better than its refined successor. The song utilizes breathy vocals, jangly guitar melodies, and an understated, but important tambourine trembling in the background. In many ways, it is the typical sweet and tender style of twee pop, although a melancholy meaning underlies its chill and pleasant vibe.
The lyrics of “Emma’s House” describes a beautiful and fragile state of reality. It is soft and honest and anecdotal, asking if “Emma’s House is empty? So why do I call it Emma’s house?” It’s about knowing someone who has left. It’s that moment when you think about someone in present tense even when they’re gone. It’s about a brief feeling, a quotidian moment in time, that is rarely matched by music. The tragic truth is that Bobby Wratten (lead singer of The Field Mice), like many of us, obviously still sees Emma’s House as if she’s there. Listeners of this song don’t know where Emma is, or what she did, but it does make you ponder if anyone is wondering where you are now.