[rating=9.00]
Mikal Cronin has come a long way since 2013’s critically lauded record MCII. The praise was well-deserved for such a fantastic breakout album, and with his newest MCIII, Cronin is proving that he’s still got plenty of juice left in him. A breakup record to be sure, MCIII is moody, but buoyant and youthful. That same hopeful sadness from MCII lingers on MCIII, but there’s more of a subtle, quiet rage brewing on MCIII, swirling and dark. Whatever heartbreak he’s been through to get to this album, it pays off in a big way.
The first half of the record is full of swooping pop choruses and epic, swelling instrumentals of guitars and strings. You can hear influences like Cat Stevens, Elliot Smith, the Beach Boys and Big Star in Cronin’s catchy hooks and sweet, soft harmonies, and though he’s clearly being referential, Cronin seems to have come even more into himself since his last album. Even at a recent performance, his confidence built as the show went on, and you could see how comfortable he is with these new songs. “Made My Mind Up” is particularly Big Star-esque, with a wistful undertone and the most fluid guitar melody. It’s one of MCIII’s standouts.
Songs like “Feel Like I’m Dying”, “I’ve Been Loved” and “Turn Around” are tried and true breakup songs, with romantic, swooning gestures of horns mixed with quiet, sparse acoustic guitar and wispy vocals. Much like going through a split, these songs are constantly changing in mood. Sometimes claustrophobic and hopeless, sometimes completely numb, and other times overwhelmed with feeling and hyper consciousness, Cronin captures that seemingly glacial passing of time so accurately. “Feeling alone in a crowded room/I’ve been loved/I’ve been lost/I’ve been locked inside my mind,” he sings on the elegantly paced “I’ve Been Loved”. We’ve all been there, but Cronin brings us right back.
By the time the second half of the album begins, you’re already so satiated thanks to the beautiful, golden pop nuggets in the first five tracks, you won’t be prepared for what’s coming. The last six songs are a series, numbered for reference so you can follow along the way Cronin intended. Moving through six intense phases of getting your heart broken, beginning with exaggerating melancholy [“i) Alone”]; then angsty rage [“ii) Gold”]; then messy abandon [“iii) Control”]; then motivation to move on [“iv) Ready”]; realization of a new perspective [“v) Different”]; and finally sweet nostalgia [“vi) Circle”].
So brilliantly thought out and crafted, this half of the album is felt most deeply when listened to as the series it is meant to be. “iii) Control” has those circular, smooth guitar melodies you’d hear in early 1970s pop rock, and is one of the album’s shining moments, especially with its shredding guitar solo. “ii) Gold” has that “live fast, die young” vibe, like a youthful invincibility that overcomes you when you’re in a state of shock, and it plays out like a killer 1990s alt-punk-rock song. “Fuck the pain/let it go,” Cronin sings, driving it home.
“vi) Circle” is the truly epic finale in this series and Cronin makes you feel it in every note. With one of the prettiest melodies that ever was, he creates a visual soundscape of his memories, his resurgence, and his newfound sense of self as he pushes through the finish line of this dark phase of his life. The way this song builds, dies down, and then builds again, you’ll count on it never ending. The gorgeous, dreamy chorus is so sad, but may also leave you smiling to yourself, and missing someone you can barely remember now.
