Cleveland’s Mike Uva is an interesting cove if these tracks are solid indicators of the man’s character. Lots of influences dripped through a lo-fi prism. The acoustic confessional ‘A Proposal’ is sparse but leavened with a gentle harmony, a sweet lead guitar and a voice as dry as a dustbowl. ‘Waco’ is a driving, complex and twisting narrative interspersed with crashes of electronica and almost found sounds. They shouldn’t fit but do. ‘You Let The Devil’ is folk-noir, swampy and threatening, a shoe-in for a True Detective soundtrack. The title track is different again, with an almost Appalachian singalong confessional as the rain comes down and a melody that timeless.
This album continues to give much well after the first play but the key is the sense of whole for all of the songs. The production, perhaps deliberately rudimentary, is always on the money and never overwhelms an interesting songwriter doing what he does best. It is therefore an album that demands a listen as an album, each part reflecting and illuminating the next even if completely unrelated. Recommended!
Summary
Idiosyncratic songwriter from Cleveland lands an album choice full of melody and invention
