Mike Got Spiked, Live & Acoustic

I walked away from Mike Got Spiked’s latest release, “Live & Acoustic,” with one thought. These guys are immensely talented, and it shows in an acoustic setting. This record is a large departure from their normal, much heavier sound, allowing for the vocal work to really shine through. MGS is a four piece group, that has always had a heavy dose of three-part harmonies in the mix, but in this setting, those harmonies are more present. They still rock in their own special blend of complex rhythms, idiosyncratic vocals, and guitar work, it’s just a bit more subdued. I get a better feel for the work they are actually doing in this raw form. No vocal processing here, instead we hear a band that plays their songs well, and with abandon.

There is also a guest vocalist, Lorraine Maher, on the song, “Stop Thinking.” She adds an interesting element to that down-tempo song, which is an even bigger departure from the usual MGS sound. But the multi-genre-spanning performances that are what is so appealing to me about Mike Got Spiked; and that song is a welcome addition to the playlist.

If you’ve seen MGS live, you know what kind of filthy, but hilarious banter comes out of these Irish boys mouths. You get a small taste of that on the recording of “Whiskey For Me Tae,” a song about selling your children for booze money. But the humor of that song belies how seriously this band takes its music. They’ve been touring relentlessly in America since 2006, playing upwards of 150 shows a year, in every corner of the country, without any label support. They’ve been doing it themselves, on their own dime, thousands of miles from home, with little besides their gear, a van, and a trailer. Spending that much time in close proximity to your bandmates is bound to cause a little, um…well, friction. Hence the song, “Sleeping With The Enemy.” You’ll have to take a listen to see what I mean, but vocalist Gavin McGuire prefaces the song with a little comment, “It’s all about being on tour.” Luckily, they’ve continued to find ways to deal with the stresses of touring and continue to do so.

I can’t stress enough the musicality of this record. I’ve been listening to MGS for a few years now, and have always been impressed with their abilities. But on this release, I find myself listening to the interplay between Jonny Myles (bass), and Dave Lodge (drums) much more closely than ever before–and realizing how much they contribute to the songs. Guitarist, Conall McMahon, has always impressed me with his ability to switch seamlessly between metal riffs and jazzy, melodic lines. On this record, his playing, along with the others’, is able to shine through in the stripped-down version of their songs. And Gavin McGuire’s vocals, which normally swing wildly between screams, whispers and powerful singing, seem to take on a bit more relaxed, finessed approach. In part, I’m sure, because he doesn’t need to compete with the rest of the band to be heard. All in all, this would be a fine acoustic studio album. Then it dawns on you that these performances were done live, with no vocal processing, in front of a live audience. It seems to me that bands these days are shamefully lacking in the talent to do that. Mike Got Spiked is the exception to that rule.

Here’s the video a different performance of “Stop Thinking” that was done on flashrock.com.

You can buy this album on iTunes here.
Or you can listen to previous releases on their Myspace page, Facebook page, or www.mikegotspiked.com.

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