melv - Don't Want To Lose

Hear The Track Here

melv is a familiar name to many SC regulars and has long been a special favourite amongst the reviewers - this one included - and rightly so. He says on his webpage that his music is for fans of Muse, Coldplay, Keane and a million others but I disagree. I think he's miles better than that. There is a strain of English rock music that throws up true originals; David Bowie, Queen are just two examples I have compared him to. In both style and arrangement/songwriting skills melv echoes the best of these two artists and somehow makes a melv-shaped space for himself. And very cosy it is too.

Usually.

The one element that I feel has dogged this artists work is in the way it comes out sounding. melv knows this conversation by heart by now so lets not start nailing that cross just yet. I have nothing but admiration for this guys ability to make songs work on an epic scale, and that is down to his knack of nailing down that classic rock nous. Songs like this can only really live and breathe performed in an open air stadium in front of thousands of people; anthemic, detailed novels of life, love and the pursuit of happiness. The kind of song that reaches out and touches people, and that IMHO is what makes melv so special. Take Don't Want To Lose for example, a great song in the melv tradition and believe me this would be scorching if it also had what the artists mentioned above had; a Roy Thomas Baker (or equivalent) production.

This mix of Don't Want To Lose doesn't really work for me, at least not as soon as the bass kicks in. It takes up a huge chunk of the right speaker and sounds as boomy as a boomy thing. It also steps over the heavenly choir (yes there is one...see...) and does detract from the power going on right there. In all other respects, this is a great rock song delivered with power and commitment even if you do have to work at pretending a widescreen arena-rock mix is happening as well. melv is a young man who has remained consistently meticulous at delivering quality music, which can only bode well for his future. In the meantime, this will do but puhleeeze can we have another mix of this with the bass fixed?

Recommended (for the song and arrangement).