MP3 of the Day: "Work" by Mike Mineo, Playing Dada on Monday, August 10

Mike Mineo fuses reggae, soulful vocals, and fan-chain pulling, computer-monitor slapping, light-switch flipping percussion for his funky and quirky single "Work," off his upcoming album Eccentricity, due out in late February. Produced by Brent Williams, who produces and plays with local singer-songwriter Cat Shell, "Work" conveys the sense of stagnant imprisonment and monotony associated with middle-class/blue-collar existence. Mineo used a click...

By Erica K. Landau

August 4, 2009

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Mike Mineo fuses reggae, soulful vocals, and fan-chain pulling, computer-monitor slapping, light-switch flipping percussion for his funky and quirky single "Work," off his upcoming album Eccentricity, due out in late February. Produced by Brent Williams, who produces and plays with local singer-songwriter Cat Shell, "Work" conveys the sense of stagnant imprisonment and monotony associated with middle-class/blue-collar existence. Mineo used a click track to cue up recordings of sounds made with various household items like turning door knobs, flicking door stoppers, and banging on dressers. "The concept behind creating the rhythm in this way was to make the environment of a home sound like a prison cell," Mineo writes via e-mail.

The quirky percussion begins the song, which soon evolves with syrupy wah-wah guitars and reggae rhythms. Mineo's voice, while soulful, has an appealing looser quality found in messier blues. Backed up by Katie Burkess, his voice is no less clear or smooth because of his approach.

The combination of laid-back yet polished vocals with idiosyncratic

musical arrangements and conscientious lyricism creates a funky

cocktail befitting a blues club, the jam circuit, or dive bar. More

material from the upcoming album can be found on his MySpace page. A lot of it is a bit more conventional than "Work," but the songs are still just as well-constructed.

Mike Mineo plays Dada August 10. Check out five other singles off his new record on his MySpace page, and check out the song "Work" below.

MP3: Mike Mineo - "Work"

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