MIKAL CRONIN is a San Franciscan who plays at times as a one-man act and more commonly in a band with other people, under his tutelage. His debut S/T release is a fantastic big-burst of amplified garage pop, acoustic 60s hard strum and a few bizarre 70s grit moves of the E.L.O. orchestral pop variety. You’ll probably just want to call it garage rock, and that’d be OK. There are some fellas on here that you already love and recognize, like TY SEGALL and John Dwyer from THEE OH SEES, both big Hedonist Jive favorites. One plays drums, and the other plays flute solos. That’s right, flute solos. Most of the songs on “Mikal Cronin” are tremendously hooky and infectious, particularly the single “Apathy” and “Gone” – both of which are pretty hard to shake from your head once they’re in there. A few others are slithery, but harmonious, noise (“Is It Alright”) or that sort of off-putting 70s stuff that’s one hipster toke over the line (“Situation”). I think you need to hear some of it to see for yourself. Go listen to my new mix on 8TRACKS – it kicks off with “Apathy” – or check out this page or this one to listen to some more. Along with the much more pop/twee Veronica Falls record, it’s my favorite thing going right about now.
