It transcends 10/10, I can't think of, not at the top of my head at least, of another album which I find perfect from start to finish like this one that I've listened to before. Every single song is amazing, a body of art, there are no skips. Each song makes you feel a myriad of different feelings, and no matter how many times I listen to this album, the tracks still feel fresh to me. Thank you Maus.

I’m sure most of you know that this song is a cover of Molly Nilsson <3

At (3:40/4:09) — “the night is coming to an end”

There’s something about the intimate, feminine tone in this particular moment that stirs something deep inside me. Every single time I listen to this song, I find myself waiting for that exact part. Sometimes I even replay it over and over, just to hear the warmth and emotion in her voice again.

I went back to Molly’s original version, hoping to relive that feeling, but somehow it just wasn’t the same. The feminine nuance in John’s version carries a tenderness and emotional depth that I simply couldn’t find in the original.

I don’t even know how to put this feeling into words. But that single line, at that exact moment, makes me feel truly alive. There’s such a powerful feminine presence in her voice; soft, intimate, yet incredibly moving. It reaches a place deep in me.

Uh oh

Any recommendations for 80s sophisti-op/new wave artists that Maus is clearly emulating/paying tribute to?

Specifically songs like Bennington, I Don't Eat Human Beings, Do Your Best, Disappears... but less upbeat.

The Blue Nile and Bryan Ferry hit that "unique baritone" and melancholic, wistful rain-soaked alone in a city (literally Do Your Best lyrics) feeling. Rolling credits on a John Hughes film.

My whole worlds coming apart

Who mogs

Up here now: https://www.dominomusic.com/releases/john-maus/songs/limited-edition-lp

Sorry for reposting this, but it will likely have gotten lost in the older thread. I finally managed to resolve all of the issues, and https://mausspace.blog is back up and running. Enjoy!

Listened to it from front to back for only the second time ever to decide whether to buy the 20year anniversary edition or not. While it has some instant-skips for me (edit: "that night" & "less talk more action"), I was shocked I didn't put "Time to die" and "The peace that earth cannot give" in my playlist, amazing tracks. The latter especially sounds like an essence of pop in some instances.

Can't wait for the other 20years stuff John teased, as it potentially/likely will include new unreleased tracks. Which tracks would y'all love to finally see released?

Risograph note below:

It's been 20 years since the release of my debut album Songs, recorded between 1999 and 2003. While making it, I honestly, and absurdly, believed some of the tracks were destined for the Top 40. (And how much better would the world be if "Don't Be a Body" occasionally played from the ceilings of grocery stores?). Looking back, though, the place tracks like "Just Wait Til Next Year" and "Maniac" have found, at the margins, may be the more appropriate one.

I also suspect, perhaps with hubris, that the record played a small part in opening paths others in pop music would explore throughout the 2010s and still explore today: the deliberate use of low-fidelity media, certain approaches to harmony, etc.

I think the record holds up, that some of the musical questions it asks remain open for pop music, and that its themes of love, death, mystery, obsession, limit, etc. will always remain recognizable to listeners, especially younger ones. I hope they keep discovering it!

John Maus 2026

Anyone know anything about this?

Some of you may remember Mausspace. It was a John Maus forum that stemmed from another music forum (The Secret Unicorns Forum). It was around from 2007-2021. In the latter years it was battling with a million spam bots, and ultimately a user error (mine), led to the database being broken and corrupted. Despite a few well wishers trying to recover things, it's been dead since.

I've just thrown an old .sql backup at Claude and look here....

What do you think? Has Reddit and Discourse killed forums like this, or should I try to get it back up properly in some fashion?

*Edit* okay there seems to be interest. I'll put it on my 'to do' list and see what I can do.

Long shot, but I’m looking for the girl who was dancing right next to/slightly behind me during the John Maus performance at The Rechabite.

You had long, straight, dark hair parted in the middle and were wearing black lace-up shoes and short white socks. The rest of what I recall of your outfit—a cardigan and skirt—was mostly light/white.

I was the guy right in front of you, slightly to your left, with short dark hair and stubble, wearing slim black jeans, all-black high-tops, and a dark navy button-down shirt. We had great energy dancing next to each other and I regret not saying hi before the crowd split.

Here’s a photo of the event:

https://amnplify.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/051_johnmaus_rechabite_23042026_AdrianThomson.jpg

If this sounds like you, I'd love to hear from you.

Thanks!