As Kevin Franco astutely observes, break-up songs are a dime a dozen. But as that is still a better financial return than the likes of Spotify, he wrote one anyway. And, of course, since this is The Muster Point Project their break-up song takes a slightly different slant. But that is their unique selling point. Even when taking a common songwriting theme, the changing nature of their hometown, the passing of time, the loss of friends, honoring a favorite artist, love, life, loss and longing, …even the joy of cycling, there’s always a slightly different angle of approach.
Here, it is a certain level of maturity that stands this apart from the pack. Not for them the wailing and gnashing of teeth, the chest-thumping, and self-pity that a less worldly artist might imbue their song with. “Looked Good on Paper” is about that gradual realization that the person you appear best suited to be with, someone who, to the outside world at least, seems the perfect match, is just too much hard work and not enough harmony. All but one box, the only one that really matters, has been ticked – but the one marked passion still lies unchecked. Or, as Franco eloquently and amusingly observes, “The juice is just not worth the squeeze.” As lines go, that is brilliant.
So, they ramp the sonics up and drive the point home with raw and rasping guitars, pulsing bass booms, and scurrying back beats but add some bitter-sweetness with exquisite, chiming mandolin lines and…ohh, those gorgeous harmonies. Powerful yet poignant.
As always, The Muster Point Project wrestles an age-old musical theme from the hands of the adolescents and the also-rans, the chancers, and the wannabes and shows us how things should be done.
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Soundcloud
Bandcamp
