Ok, right off, how can I not like a guy that writes a song to commemorate the “Great Nashville Flood”? I was there. OK, not exactly… they called us and told us not to come to work the day the rain started, so it was a few days before I saw the devastation first-hand. But, even if he had only sent me the one song, I would have fallen hard and fast and run to hit the download button for the rest of the record.
I’ve had this one o the platter for days. I keep thinking I’ll write it up when I find the right words. It keeps on spinning and I keep on listening and just enjoying, heck I’ve played the whole record through while just staring at this page twice, now! OK, I think that should just about cover this review…
McGuire does his thing from the great state of Kentucky. Using acoustic guitars and mandolin backed by old-timey fiddles and light percussion, the mood of the Kentucky Appalachians is prevalent all the way through the record. There is a melancholy and lonesome feeling to the music, but it is never the focus.
Even with the sad sounds (oh, I love the sad songs), the message is positive and inspiring. “You can save your money till the day you die, Ain’t no ATM on the other side. There’s always somebody needs a little more help, no I don’t go ’round feelin’ sorry for myself.”
Mike has a naturally smokey smooth voice that is as much like Bob Dylan’s as any I’ve ever heard, but without the ubiquitous mumbling (thank goodness). His style is simple and honest, and delivers his lines like a punch in the face with a feather pillow.
Sam Bush and Prine come to mind as the disc spins, especially on “Western Kentucky Parkway;” a tongue in cheek slap at the administration and a reverent salute to the musicians, towns and people from Paradise to Louisville.
McGuire isn’t exactly a youngster, but knowing how much the young people I know appreciate the aforementioned, I don’t think the wisdom and maturity of his songs would be lost on them or any other generation – especially those that grew up in the Southeast. A perfect example of that is “Everybody’s Got a Religion.”
There is a strong spirit writing these songs. They move hearts and touch souls. This is the kind of music that made me pick up a guitar and struggle with three chords and my own thoughts and feelings. I’ll be playing this one for a while, and gleaning all I can from it. Whether you are a picker or just a music lover, I strongly suggest you check your Mike McGuire.
You can find him on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mike-McGuire/60033374544
Stations and promoters check him out at Airplay Direct: AirPlayDirect.com/mikemcguire
Biography
Americana singer-songwriter Mike McGuire travels a land of heavy weather, echoing church bells, sad tales and long memories. But he never lets go of the one thing that binds us together: Faith, in ourselves, in our future paths, in our country. It’s something that adds a sustaining power to “Beyond the Ark”.
A glint of empathy and hope shoots through even the quietest, saddest moments on “Beyond the Ark”, and that’s what makes it special……..On “Cumberland River Blues,” McGuire crafts a series of devastating images in the wake of Tennessee’s recent flooding disaster. “He sings with the weary acceptance of early Bruce Springsteen………”SOMETHING ELSE!- No Depression..Nick DeRiso
Ok, I do have one complaint… I can’t find any way to embed a song in this article! So, you guys will have to just hit the link, I suggest listening through AirPlayDirect.
