If life, as Main Source hinted at, was just a friendly game of baseball, Mike Feuerstack would be one of those veteran third starters in the rotation. The type of guy that grinds out crucial wins and when asked, can slide to the bullpen to help when the top of the rotation runs out of gas early.
Whether on his own – Feuerstack’s “solo” portfolio, although shockingly overlooked, is rock solid – or willingly offering the support needed to make make great artists shine – backing Julie Doiron, Angela Desveaux or as part of Bell Orchestra – Mike presence basically guarantees the songs that will be worth your while. Basically, when you hand him the ball and he toes the rubber, you know what you are going to get.
Consistent. Workmanlike. In today’s iPod world where songs are forgotten as soon as they are recorded, those terms aren’t necessarily what artists aspire to be, but they result in something incredibly more precious than a buzz worthy hit. Feuerstack has spent the better part of fifteen years carving out a career and building an extremely loyal fan base and for the congregation at the church of Snailhouse, Sentimental Gentleman is the record we’ve all been waiting for.
At just ten songs and a slight thirty-four minutes, Sentimental Gentleman cherry picks everything that makes Snailhouse fantastic; quick wit, a traveler’s eye for human observation and efficient melodies that stick to your ribs but it’s the muscular guitar works that makes this record stand out. Even on the delightful “I Never Woke Up”, a melody that could have been written by former tour mate Davey Van Bohlen, the band gradually releases the tension of the taught hook with to blasts of noise and distortion.
Balancing poignant song writer confessions that compose “Great Storytellers”, “Clean Water” and the beautiful closer “Valley of Tears” with fleshed out, full band arrangements like the title track and “Daydream”, Snailhouse keeps the listener full engaged, but continually guessing. The atmospheric opener, “Apple” and the gritty “Every Day” (a song that could have been the highlight of Gord Downey’s recent solo record) shouldn’t pare so nicely with breezy gems like “Airwaves” and “Sentimental Gentleman”, but with subtle risks and the steadfast honesty with which Mike presents his thoughts, every song a personal experience, no matter how high the levels are pushed. Mike never seems to be reaching for the perfect phrase, but constantly delivers it. Honestly, how awesome is it to rhyme Brahms with Trans Am and have it sound perfect? Or how about “I’m a lover not a fighter, unless you need a fighter for love?”
It seems like I say this every time I hear a new Snailhouse record, but Sentimental Gentleman is probably my favorite Snailhouse LP to date. I guess that’s all I really need to say. Thanks to the good people at Forward Music and White Whale Records, we have an exclusive MP3 for you. Enjoy.
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MP3:: Snailhouse – I Never Woke Up
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MP3:: Snailhouse – Sentimental Gentleman
WEB:: http://www.snailhousemusic.com/