melv - Song 9

Hear The Track Here

Neil Melvin (aka melv) has long been a favourite artist in my house. His brand of big hair rock histronics has given me more than a few keeper tracks over the year or so I have known him. This is despite an often flawed recording and sound that doesn't do very much for the songs content or the music that carries it. Still, like all of us, melv has to work with what he's got and if that's the way it is, I'll settle for that. After all, it is about the music and melv is a songwriter of classic proportions as he has proved time and again. Sooo, before you ask because I see that gleam in your eye, I have NO idea why this song is called Song 9, ask melv...

In fact, it's probably best if we don't even begin to discuss what the track about because - having read the lyrics - I'm none the wiser. In a few ways it's a bit of a departure for melv because it has a strong electronica base - and a sense of eccentricity in the arrangement and performance. Of course, the usual brickwall of a mix is present giving the track an almost live feel - and if it were live it would probably work. Sadly, however, it isn't live.

I think my real problem with this track is that I'm not convinced. Make no mistake, the usual melv slam and bash is present, and there are some lovely almost out-of-kilter moments, but you gotta get over a very hard sounding mix to really get it. There's a decided rock leaning in the tracks delivery and feel and it does work surprisingly well. It isn't - to my mind - up there with some of melv's best tracks but it does show off his skill in making four and a half minutes go like that (snap). Ultimately though I think that's probably because I am a fan that Song 9 sounds - like its title - a bit unfinished, and the first place to start would be the mix.

There's no escape ;)