Moderation in all things
though! For now, Driftwood.
I’m not sure if I should be
describing this single as pure or raw. Perhaps it is both. Mike is a multi-instrumentalist and, apart from
the occasional guest collaborator, his albums are all him on both vocals and
instruments. Driftwood opens with
a count in, a guitar and pure Mike – although the lyrics are far from “pure”! The sound, with a bit of slide and a certain
gruffness summons up the image of a log cabin, or perhaps a shack with a singer
plying his trade. The song, the music, the vocals are bluesy, rocky and raw.
This isn’t just a flight of fantasy – Mike really has recorded in a shack – or “a cabin retreat” – but despite the heavy southern influence very evident in his sound, Mike is actually a Durham lad. When you discover that he was raised on 70s rock you begin to understand his influences. Don’t try to pigeonhole though, Mike is a bit of rock, a little blues, some folk, Americana… his style is recognisable and at the same time uniquely him. From shack to Nashville to Brighton, Mike Ross is happy to incorporate styles and environments into his music and the outcome is incredibly listenable.
With Driftwood as a teaser,
it is so tempting to listen to the rest of the album, and ahead of its release
we certainly will do so, but for now it’s a pleasure to listen to Driftwood, in
a shack, accompanied by sips of a fine whiskey.
Trust me – try it!
Driftwood, from the forthcoming album The Clovis Limit Tennessee Transition is available now to download and stream.
You can find and follow Mike
on Facebook, Instagram, his website and on Spotify
No comments:
Post a Comment