Mike Baas - 4 Review
by Dan Upton
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To summarize quickly, this 4-song release from Mike Baas provides a combination of upbeat grooving jam-style tunes and more introspective, mellower tunes. Mike claims the Dave Matthews Band as one of his major influences, and it's particularly evident on "Tied Up and Tied," with a main riff that would be right at home on DMB's first two major releases. All of the songs, particularly that one and the opener "Why Can't I Slow The World Down," feature breakdowns that would provide a great base for jamming in the live setting; however, with the exception of a few small guitar leads, the focus on instrumental prowess is mostly reserved for verse riffing such as that on the opening song. The vocals are pretty good with regard to the singer-songwriter style, although there are a few places where he seems to be trying to be emotional and gets a bit carried away. Lyrically, he does a good job of conveying his stories and painting a picture without needing to resort to overly-indulgent poetics. For fans of the groove/jam style music a la Dave Matthews and Jack Johnson, this is sure to please; my only real complaint is that it's over in 22 minutes and I'm left craving more. I'd say check this one out, and you'll understand why I'll be anxiously awaiting a full-length.
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Mike Baas - 4 Label:Indie
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