Mike Montrey Band – Love, Time, and Mortality
Mike Montrey and Band are rooted in New Jersey, and have a new album of heartland, Americana style songs with the vocals of an almost-Bruce Springsteen ilk with rich harmonies too, and songs rich in Americana tones and the concepts of “Love, Time, and Mortality.”
On “Stained Glass Window Pane,” Mike Monterey’s vocals are heartland sun drenched, while the lyrics implore you to “slow down, there ain’t nothin’ at the end of the middle of the end anyhow, because it’s gone before you know it and you know it’ll be gone somehow… you’ll figure it out, son, as you get older.” He’s serving up some truth, for sure. Pull up a seat.
“Holdin’ on to Nothin” slows the pace down a bit, and vocals by Jen Augustine are particularly rich on this one. “Fortune Teller” continues the message that we need to savor today’s moments, for real: “settle down, there’s about a million ways that you can move in and out of this scene, but one day we’re all gonna meet our maker. You can be a fortune teller and a master of your own dreams and still, this life won’t last forever.” Pedal steel lifts up the powerful vocals.
“Cimarron County” sings about drought. “Come the clouds, come the storms, let the rain fall down on me.” If you’ve ever experienced a drought either literal or metaphorical, you’ll resonate with the desperate plea for rain in this one.
“Take Me Home” is a faster pace getting faster, as we are aware that sometime the days rush by, and “the mirror in the hallway is showing you just what you fear.” Album closer Dylan cover “Emotionally Yours” is a good choice as it showcases the elegant acoustic guitar and the unique hushed vocal tones. Pretty.
Mike’s vocals sound like some of Bruce Springsteen’s registers, and he keeps up the dance with mortality all throughout the album, just like the title indicated he would. The music is pleasurable and the kind of Americana style that Americana music fans are always looking for, but what really sets these songs apart is their lyrical depth. It’s top shelf.
Find more details on his website here: https://mikemontreyband.com/
Enjoy our previous coverage here: Song Premiere: Mike Montrey Band “Fortune Teller”
Musicians on the album are Mike Montrey on guitars and vocals, and on piano on “The Devil Caught Me Napping”; Jen Augustine on vocals; Jack Stanton on pedal steel guitar; Santo Rizzolo on drums and percussion; Mike Noordzy on upright bass; Nicole Scorsone on violin; and John Ginty on B3 hammond organ, wurlitzer, and piano.
The album was recorded, mixed and mastered by Adam Vaccarelli at Retromedia Sound Studios in Red Bank. It was produced by Mike Montrey with album artwork -by Josh Matson of Dogmatic Live Art, and photography and video by David Zeigler of Photobomb Productions.
