For those looking for an album where every song sounds so much alike that it canʼt be determined when one ends and the next begins, Mike Comfortʼs new release, Free, is the perfect CD. As I sit listening to find a certain “comfort” in this Californian ʼs songs, I find myself wanting nothing more than to use his CD as a coaster. Am I being too harsh? Probably, but I want to listen to something I like. Donʼt get me wrong, this guy is really talented. Being a musician myself, I know how much work goes into writing lyrics, melodies, harmonies and every other aspect. However, most musicians do not want their songs to sound like a continuation of the previous track. Let me also say that I went into this with an open mind. I saw the name “Mike Comfort” and thought it was going to have a laid-back, acoustic feel. Well, thatʼs what I get by judging the CD by its cover. The sound is more like Creed meets The Crash Test Dummies (think the song “mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm”). One would think, “Oh, Creed? Awesome.” No, because mixed with The Crash Test Dummies, the result is a big, oafy vocalist who thinks he can hit high notes beautifully when they really shatter glass.
The first song on Comfortʼs album, “In My Eyes,” is the perfect example. It starts out with acoustic guitar and some light percussion. He starts to sing, and one would think “Oh, this guy has a cool voice.” Itʼs different, which is a good thing, but then we get into the part where he starts “rocking out.” The term is used loosely.
He hits these incredibly high and awkward notes that donʼt fit with the song. I feel like itʼs some type of coyote mating call that is so randomly thrown into a good song itʼs hard to know whether to respond to the high pitch noises or just turn it off. Let me get to the part where heʼs really talented. When I first listened to his songs, I thought that the lyrics were weak, and I immediately dubbed him a bad writer. Then I went online and looked up his lyrics.
Lyrics, at least the way I see them, are really just poetry put to music. Mike Comfort is a poet. The music is weak, but the lyrics alone make him incredibly talented.
He has the gift of making words come to life, but itʼs difficult to comprehend this through his music. Itʼs music that has to be heard in order to form an opinion, so donʼt knock it before itʼs heard. I didnʼt like it, but it doesnʼt mean nobody will.
My suggestion for a more “comforting” review, Mike? Write a book of poetry and ditch the tunes, or hire someone to write your music.