There seems to be a resurgence of musicians remembering the power of their art right now. A wave of creatives realising they have the perfect platform from which to speak to the masses, air grievances, make the listener think, and start conversations. And why not? There is a lot to talk about.
Not that Scott Mickelson was ever unaware of this, his back catalog is peppered with poignancy and purpose, songs that first grab you musically and later, perhaps when you are least expecting it, give you much to think about. And what, I ask you, is the point of making music if it doesn’t give you something to think about. “Eat Your Flesh Like Fire,” his new one, is no exception.
Taking as its title a passage from the Bible, a warning about the evils and injustice of hoarding money, particularly at the expense of others, it isn’t hard to see the criticism of billionaires and the upper echelons who gather wealth around them in quantities the like of which most people can barely comprehend.
And aside from the timely, and sadly timeless, message, it’s a song with one helluva groove, taking something of Talking Heads at their most tribal, but totally imbued with that wonderful blend of slightly American vibe meets recognisably British quirk that defines his work.
Come for the easy groove, stay for the all-important conversation. (Although I did just that with him recently, and we both had a bad hangover the next day.)
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