Parks and Recreation wouldn’t be the same without the music of Mouse Rat. The band of questionable but memorable talent brought humor and earworms to the NBC comedy. Andy Dwyer (Chris Pratt) led the Pawnee group in some creative jams. And last spring, to honor the 10th anniversary of the passing of Li’l Sebastian (don’t worry, he’s in the Good Place!), Parks and Recreation announced an official Mouse Rat album. Perd Hapley (Jay Jackson) shared the news as only he can.
We know. It sounds like the kind of announcement you’d expect on April Fool’s Day. But this is real. We first spotted the news at /Film. Dualtone Records is issuing Mouse Rat’s The Awesome Album. While a couple of the band’s songs come to mind immediately, such as “5,000 Candles in the Wind (Bye, Bye Lil Sebastian),” I didn’t fully realize Mouse Rat had enough tunes for a whole album. And that’s how Dualtone is selling the music: as vinyl albums. Or you could also get a cassette tape.
As for the tracklist? Get ready.
5,000 Candles in the Wind (Bye, Bye Lil Sebastian)
The Pit
Sex Hair
Catch Your Dream (feat. Duke Silver)
Two Birds Holding Hands
Ann Song
The Way You Look Tonight
Menace Ball
Remember
I Get A Kick Out Of You
Lovely Tonight
I’ve Got You Under My Skin
I Only Have Eyes For You
Pickled Ginger (performed by Land Ho!)
Cold Water (performed by Scott Tanner feat. Duke Silver)
Two songs with Duke Silver, a.k.a. Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman)! A true blessing.
NBC
And Dualtone went all in with the press release. They attributed the album’s release to a partnership with Tom Haverford’s Entertainment 720. And Mouse Rat’s The Awesome Album recently hit #1 on Billboard’s Comedy Albums chart. And with this news, we’ve learned something special and ridiculous: Li’l Sebastian’s song comes with an augmented reality (AR) experience.
Dubbed “the world’s first equine-based augmented reality music experience,” the AR experience brings Li’l Sebastian to life. As you play the record, aim your phone at the record and the little horse’s barn will appear. Then with a little precision, you’ll make Li’l Sebastian appear. Get full directions here and watch the video below:
The Awesome Album is available for purchase now.
Originally published May 19, 2021.
Amy Ratcliffe is the Managing Editor for Nerdist and the author of A Kid’s Guide to Fandom, available now. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
