Continuing my series of posts on releases I should have reviewed in 2016, we come to my most unforgivable omission. Mikey Erg is one of my favorite singers and songwriters of all-time, and his proper solo debut
Tentative Decisions is his first album of original material since The Ergs released
Upstairs/Downstairs ten years ago. While the man is a pop-punk legend, I've never met an individual with a greater passion for music of just about every imaginable genre.
Tentative Decisions, while immediately recognizable as the creation of Mikey Erg, shows what this formidable talent is capable of when he doesn't limit himself to just pop-punk. Forays into folk/Americana ("Scenic Turnout"), straight indie rock ("Waiting Out The Weekend"), jangle-pop ("Song for New Britian"), and droning noise rock ("NyQuil and Sudafed") prove genuinely successful. And while it ultimately doesn't stray
that far from the sound Mike is known for,
Tentative Decisions is a record that genuinely transcends genre. Its appeal lies not in musical style but rather in Mike's heartfelt vocals, bittersweet lyrics, and ever-pleasing melodies. It's just a freaking amazing album - and easily one of the best released by anyone in 2016. Better late than never, I now give it its due!
-L.R.
https://mikeyerg.bandcamp.com/album/tentative-decisions
https://www.facebook.com/Mikey-Erg-117377614995202/
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