Struggling with the unnecessary
If there were some kind of governing body that gave out awards for people being totally fucking miserable, Mike Hale would win. He’d probably be the winner a few years running the pace he’s going.
In the last month Hale has released the third and fourth full-length albums he’s put out in the last year or so. Like all good creative ventures, this trove of songwriting sprang forth from a well-spring of misery.
See, Hale’s wife left him a while back and he’s apparently found his coping mechanism. Two of those records have been angry, punk and hardcore-influenced rock music with his band In The Red; two have been released under his own name including Lives Like Mine, the latest. The solo albums are slower-paced acoustic songs that wallow in misery and lament the new life Hale finds himself forced to lead.
The difference between the two seems to fall into two areas: first, production. Where his first solo effort, Broken With No Hope, featured an incredibly crisp, compressed recording with an astounding clarity and double-tracked vocals that really filled the mix, the new album has virtually none of those things. The instrumentation lives in a roomier, more reverberating space that lends a more natural sound. Unfortunately, Hale’s voice sounds a fair bit less powerful for it. Thankfully, that definitely is a better fit for the frailty of the songs, although the juxtaposition of his powerful voice made the first very interesting. He expands the sonic palette, as is the natural progression of these things I suppose. Piano takes center stage at times, handclaps get thrown into the mix, and even some percussion.
Secondly, the quality of the songs is a bit suspect. It pains me to say it, but considering the near-perfection of Broken With No Hope penning a follow-up must’ve been a daunting task. The title track reaches the same heights, as do a couple of other tunes, but the strain of penning four albums in 12 months is frankly starting to show. I understand that needing a creative outlet is an important thing but his recorded output might benefit from a bit of patience and some self-editing.
But yeah, check out the track “Lives Like Mine.” It’s a keeper.
Mike Hale - Lives Like Mine [3:37m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download Mike Hale - If You Want To Know [3:29m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | DownloadCheck out Lives Like Mine for free here; its a special promotional effort.
Physical copies on CD and vinyl available from Suburban Home and Vinyl Collective. iTunes gives you the ability to pay money for it also.
