MCIII

by Mikal Cronin

Overview

Going big is usually the stumbling block for any artist or band who started off small. Blowing up the arrangements, slicking up the production, or adding scores of extra instruments often does more harm than good, shining a harsh light on a lack of songwriting ideas or just making things seem so huge that the human element gets lost in the shuffle. Mikal Cronin's third album, MCIII, is the result of his efforts to go big, and in his case the gamble pays off big-time, resulting in his most pleasing record to date. MCIII is split into two thematic parts, with the first side being huge, hooky pop songs filled with pianos, strings, earwormy guitar lines, and some of the most straightforward and impressive melodies Cronin has committed to tape yet. Almost any one of them could be hit singles, especially the loping "Made My Mind Up," which has a solid '70s Tom Petty feel, and the stomping "Say." "Turn Around" may not have the same kind of hooks as those tracks, but it shows off Cronin's growth as a songwriter and producer as he crafts a melancholic wall of sound buttressed by some seriously lyrical string lines. The other side tells a coming-of-age story in six parts, with a less produced, more direct approach that harks back to the last album's sound. Balancing paint-peeling guitar rockers ("Gold," "Ready"), jangling pop songs ("Control," "Circle"), and string-heavy ballads ("Different"), the side is an affecting piece of work. Cronin's emotional honesty is bracing and the songs hit hard and stick, much like the first side but with a bit more power. The album isn't a huge leap from MCII, since that album was already very solid, but it's enough of one that it's worth mentioning. Cronin could have just kept cranking out the same album over and over; that he chose to take a risk and go big showed some real guts. That he was able to make it work as well as he did shows some real skill and should make anyone who liked the first two albums really happy. ~ Tim Sendra

Product Details

Release Date:	05/04/2015
Label:	Merge
UPC:	0673855055015
Rank:	148127

Tracks

1. Turn Around
2. Say
3. Made My Mind Up
4. Feel Like
5. I've Been Loved
6. Alone
7. Gold
8. Control
9. Ready
10. Different
11. Circle

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Mikal Cronin   Primary Artist,Bass,Drums,Organ,Piano,Guitar,Tzuras,Vocals,Saxophone,Percussion
Irene Sazer   Violin
Jessica Ivry   Cello
Katrina Wreede   Viola
Bill Swan   Trumpet
Alisa Rose   Violin
Nick Carnes   Horn
Ryan Moutinho   Drums

Technical Credits

Jesse Nichols   Mixing
Jason Butler   Assistant
Mikal Cronin   Arranger,Composer
JJ Golden   Mastering
Eric "King Riff" Bauer   Engineer
Bob Marshall   Assistant
Juliana Wisdom   Artwork