Shabang

Folk has made a big return to the Alternative music scene in the last couple years, with artists like Phoebe Bridgers and Faye Webster reinvigorating the genre to a new audience. As a fan of this new wave of folk, but also an avid enthusiast of older acts like Bob Dylan, I believe Scott McMiken has done something special with his new album “Shabang”. McMiken is best known for his time as the lead singer of Dr.Dog, following their split in 2021, he has returned with a solo project of his own. Hearkening back to the golden era of 70’s folk rock, Scott McMiken blends the music of acts like The Band and Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young with his style of modern lo-fi indie rock. Meanwhile, also dipping his hand in a myriad of genres such as reggae, jazz, bossa nova, and psych rock. This conglomerate of styles and influences forms one of the most refreshing but still recognizable folk albums I have heard in a while.

The album starts out strong, the leading two tracks ease you in with some classic folk songs.”What About Now” features some catchy melodies and a chanting chorus that provide a great feel good track to start out the album. The lo-fi recording techniques make the song reminiscent of the past era folk rock bands I mentioned earlier. Moving to the second song “Reconcile” brings you into a more modern take on folk, more akin to his work in Dr.Dog. McMiken has always had a knack for catchy melodies, and this song’s chorus is no exception. The xylophone combined with the drums make it a pleasure to the ears. The third song “Letters to the Editor” slows things down with a classic folk ballad. However, as soon as you are easing into the classic folk feel, the album takes an interesting turn to numerous other genres.

From here the album ebbs and flows between influences, moving from things like reggae to bossa nova, with some classic catchy folk songs sprinkled throughout to reel things back in. A want to highlight a few of the best ones, the first being “In My Mind”. Combining horns and shakers this is a smooth reggae chiller. McMiken does a nice job of using his influences in a respectful way that feels his own and not a cheap rip off. The folk style of singing and instrumentation is still felt but with a wonderful reggae shein over it that still keeps it in line with the folk theme of the album. Another highlight is “Ever Expanding”, the hand percussion and bossa nova style guitar provide a smooth jam to get lost in. The sparse vocals on this track give the rest of the composition time to shine, each listen you pick up new instruments and production pieces masterfully layered throughout. The last song I want to shed light on is the closing track “Worried Mind”. This song brings everything together with a beautiful ballad that features jazz sax, piano, and some lovely smooth drumming. This is a great closer to the album that is a compositional gem, there are so many moving parts to this song that will keep you relistening. There are almost too many songs to talk about in this album. Every song is a treat to listen to and keeps you guessing at what is coming next.

Scott McMiken has solidified himself as a great musical talent in my mind, being able to switch between so many genres and do them all justice is a hard feat to accomplish. If you are a fan of any of the genres I have discussed, do yourself a favor and give this album a listen. This is the perfect road trip album, it's almost a playlist in itself with so many different styles to keep you interested. I will definitely be checking in with anything McMiken does henceforth.