A gripping debut album from Mike Medrano, M charts a karmic journey by heartache, misadventures, and emotional reckoning inside a spread of warming rock and folks pursuits. Recorded on a Tascam 246 tape machine, the album unfolds like a collection of watercolor vignettes — wealthy in imagery and awash in sea and water motifs. A way of non-public navigation emerges, rising from a hazy fog into one thing clearer on the horizon, simply previous the tide — with brighter days and hotter waters forward.
Opening monitor “Topanga Canyon” melds breezy guitar jangles and vintage-friendly organs, enamoring alongside lyrical pleading to “let the air wash over you,” when feeling blue. “Love is such a ache, however you bought to play the sport,” Medrano sings amidst twangy guitars and warming organs — admitting “she’s been on my thoughts,” with an evident craving; it performs like an apt soundtrack to a street journey, used virtually as a option to escape private tumult.
Ensuing monitor “Stroll Away” brings forth a extra outstanding twanging amidst related thematic sentiments of feeling caught in a rut. “It’s time you stroll away,” the vocals beckon to let the previous go, bolstered by beautiful wordless vocal harmonies. Envisioning of coming, higher days pair with a throwback rock manufacturing for one more resonating success, making for a really robust one-two punch in kicking off M. And whereas the following “Fading Lights” is quainter in its trickling folk-ready guitar work and lyrical introspection, the emotive punch remains to be lasting. “I do know that track performs all day lengthy,” continued representations of lingering feelings present, set inside a hypnotic manufacturing that resembles a cross between Nick Drake and The Kinks.
One other standout monitor is available in “However Not Me,” exemplary of Medrano’s knack for climactic, impactful structural momentum. Jangly guitars and subdued vocals lead initially with approachable allure, actually taking off upon the attractive backing vocal harmonies integrating into the “out on the water!” hooky exultation. “Deep Blue Sea” follows, persevering with the water-type setting and right here inside a haunting folks immersion, whereas “Summer time Track” conveys a dream-like state in its lyrical drive and piano-led balladry. M excels throughout each rousing rock/pop expanses and laid-back folks balladry, and these mid-album tracks play particularly properly in showcasing that vary.
M concludes with two significantly transferring successes in “Limitless Evening” and “Issues We Disguise.” The previous struts a eager for freedom — “I might fly like a fowl if I might,” — alongside visions of overgrown bushes, metaphorically invoking private strife. The sturdy guitar twangs become fervent guitar work within the second half, expressive of their free-flowing jangles because the lead vocals reduce. Album finale “Issues We Disguise” stirs in its contemplative haze. “The wind blows you out to this point every time,” Medrano sings, then musing on how “getting again,” to the purpose of origin could be particularly attempting. One other reference to “the massive blue sea,” and “the waterside,” once more ushers within the water settings, and a way of non-public renewal that comes alongside. A cathartic thematic success with melodic, charming manufacturing, M is a radical success from Mike Medrano.
