Mike Hollon – Irving Park
This is an interesting musician who’s had a life both in Nebraska & Appalachia (North Carolina). The title place is a tribute to a park in Lincoln, NE. where Mike spent time when circumstances prevented Mike from playing live & interacting with people (The Covid Era). Instead, he took his guitar, notebook & a bottle of wine to a place to find the necessary peace to be creative…it worked & produced the 11 tracks of Irving Park (Dropped Oct 17/Mo’s Records/42:07).
Recorded in Lincoln the tunes were produced by Dan Metzner (drums/percussion/bgv) & Mike Hollon (vocals/guitars/ukelele/harmonica/percussion). The topics are fairly basic – the struggle & strength of the human spirit, love, loss, hope, redemption, rebirth, nature & moving forward. That’s fine despite its repetitious themes many artists choose. Many have said to me “what else is there to write about?” Don’t get me started. Dylan, the Beatles, John Prine, Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits, & Joni Mitchell found creative paths other artists never trekked. More perceptive? Perhaps.
But Mike Hollon offers inspiration & positivity, the belief that things will get better, & I’ll support anything that has an optimistic approach. The album starts with a positive intro on the John Prine-like “1000 Days,” & Mike’s upbeat melody & acoustic guitar shimmers. Wonderful vocal tonality, the crisp drums & acoustics are ear candy. Nice high-hat swish really colors the tune. Creativity at work with a relatively simple progression. Well done.
The whole album sounds well produced with clarity on every instrument & warmth in the singing. There are no showboating type of runs, exuberant vocals or sprawling compositions. Mike’s a troubadour, a balladeer, a polished storyteller who adds enrichment through his acoustic guitar picking.
OK, there isn’t much creativity going on when you title songs with one word “Love” & “Go,” – but on “Love,” the gentle Kyle Carson trumpet adds the necessary torque. An easy listening tune with good percussion, drums & a little jazz sugar. Well integrated.
“Go,” is more like an ignited haybale – the flames are high & warm. The tune has style & substance, a little more speed than the others. Quite impressive energetic playing. Mike’s vocals are also effective as he sprays the melody out of a musical aerosol can & spreads it over the room. Nice stuff.
Coming on heavier in a vintage field-blues is the percussive shake of “Fool No More.” Shades of Leo Kottke & John Fahey appear in the tour-de-force instrumentals “Casablanca” & “Blue Mountain Spring.” Marvelous interludes. The nice 1940’s swing influenced hand-clapping “Irving Park” & the more mainstream “Downhill Slide” are both superb.
Highlights – “1000 Days,” “Letting Go,” “Love,” “Go,” “Fool No More,” “Casablanca,” “Irving Park,” “Downhill Slide,” & “Blue Mountain Spring.”
Musicians – Mitch Benson (bass), & Jeremiah Weir (piano/Leslie organ).
Color image on the stairs courtesy of Mike’s website. CD @ Amazon & https://www.mikehollon.com/