Under the Gun Review

Of Mice And Men Step Into The Mainstream With “Would You Still Be There”

May 15th, 2014 James Shotwell

A recent report from Billboard claimed that releases from Rise Records accounted for 5% of all rock music sales in 2014 so far. Five years ago that kind of headline would have been mind blowing, but these days it is not a stretch to believe such information as fact because the label has done a fantastic job of slowly evolving their sound while still catering to the audience that first propelled them into the spotlight. It’s a change that spreads across the label’s already diverse roster of talent, but it may have impacted no singular group greater than Of Mice And Men.

Following the January release of their latest album, Of Mice And Men are returning to our headlines this afternoon with the official video for “Would You Still Be There.” The track is one of the most straightforward rock songs in the band’s catalog, and it features very few vocals from frontman Austin Carlile. Instead, relatively new recruit Aaron Pauley handles both the verse and chorus in a manner similar to his output with Jamie’s Elsewhere. You can view the song’s official video below.

I am not sure if “Would You Still Be There” has the catchiness needed for a long lasting stay atop mainstream rock radio charts, but it definitely signals the start of a new chapter for Of Mice And Men. The members are all a bit older now, and they have added several new faces with new influences to contribute to the material. Whether or not it will work as well with longtime supporters as they hope remains to be seen, but I think it’s safe to say Of Mice And Men won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.

James Shotwell
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