“I will love you always. When this red hair is white, I will still love you. When the smooth softness of youth is replaced by the delicate softness of age, I will still want to touch your skin. When your face is full of the lines of every smile you have ever smiled, of every surprise I have seen flash through your eyes, when every tear you have ever cried has left its mark upon your face,I will treasure you all the more, because I was there to see it all. I will share your life with you, Meredith, and I will love you until the last breath leaves your body or mine”
Laurell K. Hamilton, A Lick of Frost
We live a life which is particularly hard to endure. Work and society demand from us to be active and respectable citizens but nevers tell us how to make all of it less tough. We find distractions to help us getting through it. A passion, an hobby or a simple interest to keep our minds occupied. It's good and remarkable to have something interesting and remarkable which defines us but this isn't enough. The possibiity to get lost in our world could affect, in a bad or good way, our staged life, which is just a mask of what we really are. We need someone who can see us for what we're and push us further, beyond hardships and difficult times. We need a friend, someone to be ourself with. We need a partner, someone to be our emotional self with. Someone who sticks us and gives a mean to keep up and hold through the day. Every man and woman in history looked for it and grew after finding, through an intricate path of weird and occasional experiences, the right person to share his or her life with.
Love.
The most celebrated human emotion. Poets, Novelists and Singers. All of them have been inspired and still are inspired by it.
This is what inspires Mikey J, a multi-instrumentalist out of Melbourne, Australia. A humble and talented guy who writes, performs and and records his music from his home on what he consider a (too) simple setup.
A passion which started from an early age learning piano and cello and singing in a choir, but this wasn't what get him into it, it was more like a tease of what came after. At 12 he received a guitar from his father and this is where his journey started. He learned by himself how to play it. He emulated other pieces at first and then, when he was ready, started an high school band, which helped him get even better. It was at this time that he started writing his own songs.
Today music holds a special place in his life:
"It has the power to take away my stresses and re-centre me when I’m finding it difficult. It allows me to express my inner-most feelings and leaves me with the best natural high you can get. I love how it gives me the chance to learn new skills, hone my talents and create songs I am really proud of"
And he keeps playing to make more and more people happy, to make others feel what he feels when he plays.
His works is heavily influenced by the great songwriters of bygone days and his family and experiences:
"My musical inspirations are wide and varied: The Beatles have been my biggest inspiration all through my life, but also love listening to Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, Bob Dylan, Simon and Garfunkel, The Small Faces, Ben Folds, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, You Am I, The Cat Empire, Jason Mraz, Bruno Mars… the list could just go on forever!"
And, not by chance, his music tastes are aligned with his inspirations. While My Guitar Gently Weeps by The Beatles, Best Imitation of Myself by Ben Folds and Nothing by The Cat Empire are just a few songs and artists out of all his favourites, which are a lot.
Mikey J songs are a mix of rock, blues, folk, funk and indie music. And his creative process is:
"Fairly consistent: guitar or bass tinkering to build the structures of the songs, start some noodling to get melodic lines and think about what other instrumentation might work with the song. Finally, I write lyrics (the hardest part for me) and then start putting it all together!"
Today we're going to explore his third album in 12 months: Dancing in the Clouds. It was written, performed and recorded at home, mostly during various lockdowns, and it comprises of 9 tracks ranging from alternative/indie pop rock, reggae, ska and funk. All the songs come from his personal experiences and centre around his beautiful and really supportive wife, Ella. An aspect which is noticeable in the songs themes which are relationships and finding, cultivating and keeping that special someone in your life.
His creative process which enabled him to craft this album is, as he explains, fairly consistent:
"Guitar or bass tinkering to build the structures of the songs, start some noodling to get melodic lines and think about what other instrumentation might work with the song. Finally, I write lyrics (the hardest part for me) and then start putting it all together!"
Always be Your Guy is the first track of Dancing in the Clouds. It's a soothing song which makes me think about the sea and sand. It sounds like an 80's song and I like it a lot. The lyrics is a love poem which is tender and passionate.
"Is a jazzy, pop song about finding and that special girl. It starts with a pretty guitar lick, has a groovy bass line and a melodic guitar solo"
The following track is Dancing in the Clouds which is pretty chilly and relaxing. This is the kind of song which you can enjoy a lot during sunny days, in a grass field. You can wonder in the clouds, in their soft shapes. Your mind goes free, flying in the blue sky. It's so relaxing, to the point that the lyrics become a aloof, just an accompainment.
"Started as a bass line and grew into a dreamy and mellow pop song that has light guitar accents and 2 key changes. It speaks to how when you’re in a great relationship you feel like floating away!"
The next one is Skips a Beat and it's particularly upbeat and it's a bit funky. Like the previous songs, this is also a love lyric and it's about falling in love.
" A quick-tempo ska-inspired song that has an electric 12-string guitar solo and a killer horn section. It tells of that feeling when your heart gets all fluttery when you find a great gal"
This is the slowest one so far. It tells about approaching That Girl which you like but you don't know how to start talking to her. I like the bass solo, maybe it's the best part of this song.
"A sultry blues song that also began as a bass line and some gravelly vocals. The bass solo slows down the song while the outro makes good use of wah. It’s a shoutout to all those girls who are just out of reach"
Yearning is even slower than the previous one and the pacing is coherent with the song's theme. It's a song for wanderers.
"A slow indie rock ballad that brings you through the ups and downs of yearning for that special someone. It’s got heavy reverb on the chilling stripped back beginning, and a meaty guitar solo"
Lazy Days is a cool and relaxing song. It's about the relevant role of lazy days in a life made of work and responsabilities. It's an uplifting song which adress a bleak reality with a genuine sincerity.
"Was inspired a little by Jason Mraz. With an folly beginning, moving into a reggae inspired verse and chorus, Lazy Days laments the dreariness of a 9-5 job. The ukulele also makes a quaint appearance"
Steal My Heart starts with the best notes and in a while it becomes my favourite tracks of this album. I like it's pace and rythm, it's tantalizing.
"Features my first ever attempt at a slap bass line! It’s a bluesy jazzy song about how she’ll just take that heart away. It feels a little like Can Calloway without the scatting. It finishes with some wispy guitar noodling over the main riff"
Every Little Thing is a song which represent a return to the rythm which charcterizes the first songs of this album. It's a song about being grateful for every little thing which defines your partner. It's a funky song which makes you feel at ease.
"A heavy funk song about all those little things that make a girl really special. It features a funky bass line and duelling wah guitars, is a little bit sassy and risqué and a whole lot of fun"
High and Dry is the album's last song. It's a bit dramy because it is slow but not that much. It's about the fact that a partner should keep his partner's morale up to let the couple thrive. It's an empathic piece which is remarkable for its lyrics. I would say that this track puts the singer's words front and center. The words are promises full of love.
"The final track in the album. It has heavy tremolo on the guitar lines and the bass line moves you through the song effortlessly. A soulful guitar solo will leave you feeling the warmth of this love ballad"
Dancing in the Clouds is a passionate work, made of feelings and empathy. I like that he wanted to craft a tribute to his wife. Check out Dancing in the Clouds his other albums by clicking here to know more about this Australian singer and his extreme care for bonds and relationships.
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