New Track: Mikal Cronin

Last weekend I got invited to see Mikal Cronin at Rickshaw Stop on a whim. As I didn’t have any plans and I don’t know that I’ve ever said no to a live music event, I gladly accepted.

Total win. Not only was the Rickshaw Stop a pretty sweet venue I hadn’t been to yet, the drinks were surprisingly cheap for a bar in SF, let alone a music venue. Oh yeah, and the music was awesome.

As I had just started listening to Mikal Cronin’s music a few days before while at work, I was not expecting the show to be as intense as it was. At first listen it comes off a little poppy.  Turns out it’s poppy music people love to get aggressive to.

No honestly, while this song, “Weight,” does sound a little more on the pop side, I think it’s because Cronin is a singer/songwriter whose higher pitched vocals are actually louder than the rapid beat and guitar in the background.  Which makes for a really loud, really fun live show in a smaller venue.

His music kind of reminds me of the Strokes, an all time Melissa Leiter favorite.

The overall vibe I get from Cronin’s music is a very California-I-don’t-care-let’s-go-hang-on-the-Santa-Monica-pier attitude. Don’t ya think? 😉