The modern age has become a very entrenched world, and, very often, our social and political views, particularly of other countries, are based not on our experience of meeting its denizens but on the foreign policy and rhetoric spewing out of its chosen representatives. This is why we need more people like Scott Mickelson in the world. He is not only a writer of astutely observed songs but, as a Brit who has been listening to his music for several years, the sonic diplomat the US needs right now.
His music is not overtly political; rather, it is full of social commentary. But more than anything, his lyrics remind us that, when we get right down to it, we are all pretty much the same the world over, no matter what the media tells us. Artists like him traveling the world and playing smart music that we can all relate to is perhaps the most subtle, sincere, understated, and perfect small act of unity.
And so, on “If You Can’t Be Right, Be Loud” (a title gaining increasing relevance day by day), we find a collection of songs that range from intimate comments on his own life to observations on global machinations.
If you are one of those people who like your music neatly tagged and tied in a bow, you might find Scott’s music a bit of a challenge, but then, isn’t that how all the best music should be? Why opt for the familiarity of comfort zones when you can choose sonic adventure? Okay, if I must …imagine a rootsy singer-songwriter augmented with a full band sound, occasional punked-up energy, and plenty of pop-infectiousness. Try looking for that category in the record store…sorry, that’s the best I can do; it’s best you just listen to the album.
“Amplify,” whose lyrics give us the album title, kicks things off, and if the job of the first track of an album is to pique the listener’s attention, signpost the sounds that they are going to be faced with on the album, and act, perhaps, as a sort of calling card and mission statement, it certainly does all of that. And it does all that via raw rock riffs and big vocal harmonies, dynamics that take us from understated verses to anthemic choruses.
And if “Glowstick” leans into folk-infused soundscapes, and “Small Town Scandal” feels like a long-lost Bowie album track, it is “Jump Off The Earth” that fully displays Scott’s secret musical weapon. The Banjo! Now, if that is an instrument that you associate with bluegrass music and campfire cowboy songs, then this album, and Mickelson in general, could be seen as a revolution, or at least a renaissance for the much-maligned instrument. Throughout the album, Scott wields it like an electric guitar, runs it through effects pedals, and uses it to create some killer rhythms that drive and groove, that kick arse and cut the mustard, as we say on this side of the water.
“Beneath The Blue Suburban Skies” is a gorgeous instrumental that sounds like Talking Heads in full funky jam mode, and the album rounds off with the brilliantly titled “Only Grey Matter Boiling in My Head” quirky and creative alt-roots-pop at its finest. Featuring none other than XTC’s Colin Moulding, – the story of the scale and scope of Scott’s Swindon connections will have to wait for another time – its a song that suits him perfectly, wandering from an almost tribal groove through stacatto pop-scapes, driven by adventurous bass lines, chiming pianos, and of course deftly picked, plucked and strummed banjos; a strange and magnificent beast and the perfect epic sound to end on, and a summation of everything that is unique about the Mickelson sound.
We live in a world where the pop scene is a young person’s game, driven by likes and followers, guest rappers and complicated hairstyles, marketing campaigns, and Super Bowl performances. But it is those who have, without sounding ageist, been around the block a few times, who have played the game for more years than they might care to admit, who have suffered the slings and arrows but not made an outrageous fortune, who have the experience, all gained firsthand in the field, as it were, who we should be championing. You might not be looking to stick his poster on your wall, but anyone who doesn’t stick Mickelson’s music on at home and does so on a regular basis is missing the whole point of what music-making is all about.
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