Cronin It Out

NB - This has been written prior to ATP Melbourne. Assume that the following is some semblance of the truth. Jesus. Tittyfucking. Christ. That phrase may be immortalised in Team: America, but I'm pretty sure it was a dry run usage for its true calling – describing Saturday’s ATP Melbourne. At least in terms of volume. Regardless of whether you caught My Bloody Valentine, Swans, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Civil Civic, The Dead C, or all the above, you are sure to have lost some levels of hearing that ain’t ever coming back. We’ll discuss levels of aural orgiastic fulfilment later – but I'm in sever recovery mode. And with another day of it on the doorstep, with the likes of Beasts Of Bourbon, Einsturzende Neubaten, Pere Ubu, My Disco and The Drones to punch me in the face, I need something ramshackle and joyous to react favourably to my bruised head/eyes/ears/soul.

Mikal Cronin is the man to do the job. His self-titled debut last year was a great surprise, his part to play as Ty Segall’s backing dude (or one thereof) is stellar, and ‘Shout It Out’, the single for upcoming album MCII (out on Merge in May) is the kind of sunny bittersweet rambler that hair of the dog and lazy Sunday afternoons were made for. In fact, it’s almost twee, it’s so upbeat. Like a beefed up Ben Kweller. Jesus tittyfucking indeed… (Disclaimer: I actually liked Kweller’s last record. Plus he’s an alright dude. Still, I think Cronin would cuss me out for saying so. Still, it’s meant as a compliment – for better or worse). But seriously, how fun is this? Maybe a more appropriate indicator is ‘Shout It Out’ sounds like the kind of song Dylan Baldi of Cloud Nothings would make if he wrote like he did two years ago, but played like he does right now. Whatever. This is my cure. Let it be yours too.


Mikal Cronin – Shout It Out



Pre-order MCII here (and you can get a T-shirt bundle of the shirt Cronin is wearing above). Enjoy the weekend peeps.