Mike and the Moonpies: One to Grow On
At its heart, Mike and the Moonpies is a dance band made for filling up the floors with everyday folks looking to cut loose and have some fun. The band’s eighth studio album One to Grow On celebrates the workingman and his day to day efforts to get ahead.
Photo by Lyza Renee
"I wanted to create a record you could crank loudly in your truck on Friday afternoon at quitting time," says frontman Mike Harmeier, who wrote One To Grow On in his backyard studio on the outskirts of Austin. "To do that, I developed a narrative and a central character. It's a guy who's working hard to make ends meet, all while living in the moment and hoping to stay appreciative of the things he has. A guy who takes pride in what he does but is still searching for a balance in his life. There are a lot of similarities between him and me."
“Everyone I know who isn't a musician is working construction.” adds Harmeier. “They're putting one foot in front of the other and trying to appreciate the moment they're in, while basically working 24/7, 365. A lot of people live their lives that way, and they inspired me to write a workingman's story.”
The nine tracks on the album are all written by Harmeier and long-time collaborator Adam Odor who also shares production credits with the band. The Moonpies just may be the tightest country band on the road today and it starts with Kyle Ponder behind the drums. There is never a question as to where the beat is and his clever fills and transitions keep the band driving. Bassman Omar Oyoque is one of live music’s more charismatic personalities and provides a solid bottom for the band’s twin guitars. Zach Moulton spends most of each Moonpies show bent over his pedal steel with his cowboy hat keeping his face in the shadow but when he starts trading licks with electric guitarist Catlin Rutherford, the magic really happens. All of this shines through on the new album. Put Mike Harmeier’s singular voice above it all and we are set for an instant classic.
Photo by Lyza Renee
It’s so good to have former Moonpie John Carbone adding keyboards throughout the album. Shooter Jennings adds some synthesizer touches to a pair of songs. Vocal harmonies from the Shiny Soul Sisters, Alice Spencer and Kelley Mickwee, are a bright touch. Three members of the Quaker City Night Hawks, a Texas band starting to make some noise of their own, add to the record’s final song, “Burn Out,” an autobiographical country-rocker that will surely become a concert favorite.
The first indicator of the record’s greatness is that it needs no interpretation. The songs speak for themselves, the message is clear, and the musicianship is stellar. After three consecutive smash hits, it looks like Mike and the Moonpies have delivered yet another.
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