Reviews for Small Town Trouble - August, 2011
"I've gotten a little addicted to Small Town Trouble...it sure makes great driving music and the sound is spectacular in my opinion. Comparing this to other bands may not do the album justice, but it reminded me of bands like Dire Straits and the Kinks. However, this album stands totally on its own.
I think I'm most impressed with the depth of the lyrics. Musically, it's all so darn listenable. I've grown accustomed to most accessible music having shallow lyrics, but Mick Brady manages to slip an unexpected twist into most of his songs. These twists give the songs an intellectual depth that surprises me every time I catch it.
The other thing that occured to me is that I've listened to many albums by top bands where only one or two songs were any good. By contrast, this whole darn album is good. THAT says a LOT".
QuicoReed (Songramp)
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Mick Brady takes listeners back to the sounds of the late 20th century with his fourth solo release, Small Town Trouble. His lyrics are painted with romantic anguish and societal disaffection and he finds a way to tell a detailed story within each of his songs.
Brady does well to notice the “untold stories” of the people around him and to effectively transform those perceptions into the song lyrics of both the opening track, “Small Town Trouble”, and the album as a whole.
Being from Dublin, Ireland, his roots shine through not only in his voice, but also in his lyrics. “Men In Black” and “I Remember The Rare ‘Aul Times,” specifically, display his roots and the events that have transpired throughout his life. Brady sings about the Catholic school that he attended as a kid in “Men In Black.” The weekdays were filled with oppressive rules, but the dances on Friday nights made everything else bearable. Brady sings:
“A slow dance was true romance
Made you feel that you had a chance
And made you forget everything that you’d been told.”
“I Remember The Rare “Aul Times” is a ballad that will keep you listening until the very end. In each verse, Brady tells the separate stories of Danny, Maggie Blue, and Bella who all struggled to get by from day to day. Though the story is gloomy, the song’s melody hints at a hopeful conclusion. Brady introspectively notes:
"They got nothing, but they still believed.”
“Dreamers and Believers” is the perfect anthem for the late night crowd at any small town pub. Its fast tempo piano melody and the country twang of the guitar make you want to immediately start humming along to the melody and snapping your fingers to the beat. The song is about the feeling of being a social outsider and trying to find a place where you belong.
Small Town Trouble will reel you in from the very beginning and, by the second listen, you’re sure to be singing right along with Brady and his loveably gruff Irish accent. From soft, poignant rock ballads to peppy rock tunes and twangy country melodies, this album has it all.
Alec Cunningham (Review You)
Rating: 5 stars (out of 5)
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‘Rebel’ Rod’s Review – Mick Brady’s self released “Small Town Trouble” – Truly, has the potential to bridge genres and generations
Until recently, the name Mick Brady meant absolutely nothing to me. I had never heard the name and sadly, had never heard his incredible music.
I have never met Mick face to face, but after listening to his songs, and reading about what they mean to him, I would like to. I know I’d like him.
The name of the record is "Small Town Trouble", named for the first track on the album. As he puts it, "The song is about the narrow-mindedness and pressure to conform that is found in many communities". It is a tune regarding how appealing and typical things look superficially. However, if you look a little closer one begins to see that what appears to be so average at the surface can be, in reality, tragically ugly. How many of us as an individual have put on a façade? Someone asks how we are doing. “Fine”, we reply. When in reality we are being ripped to shreds internally. This tune speaks of that but is downright poetic about it.
Every song on the LP is deeply personal to Mr. Brady and based on something that touched him at some point in his life. As a result, when you hear his words coming from his simple yet soothing voice, you feel it.
Listen carefully and you’ll be taken on somewhat of a journey through the artist’s life. Whether it is about an interview he heard on the radio (the title track,” Small Town Trouble”) or a tune about friends of his parents that he grew up around, discovering they weren’t just quirky, but mentally ill and all but forgotten about by the ones that were supposed to care about them. At least that was the promise (“I Remember the Rare 'Aul Times”).
The stories he tells paint a vivid picture in your mind that will remain there for a long time, leaving you with the feeling that you truly know the artist. He shares his experiences, his feelings about certain events, his weaknesses, his strengths, and ultimately his hope with us.
Peter Eades eloquently produced the album as well as playing the drums, bass, guitars, mandolin, banjo, keyboards, and harmonica, a very busy fellow indeed. His fingerprints can literally be found all over the album.
Of course, Mick Brady sings on the record and is backed up on vocals by Philip Gargan. In addition, Paul Lynch plays keyboards on a couple tracks as well.
Overall, this is a delightful record that will be enjoyed across many genres and generations. What I mean is that I could play a track or two on my eclectic radio show and believe most of my listeners would love it. However, I could also play it for my 80 something parents and their friends, who would equally enjoy it [the record]. It truly has the potential to bridge genres and generations.
"Small Town Trouble" is self-released and is available now. It can be purchased by going to Mick Brady's website.
‘Rebel’ Rod says check it out.
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Niall Toner (RTE Radio) on Track 3, "The Man That I Used To Be"
"Wonderful song, an absolute little masterpiece. I hope it moves you the way it moved me"
July 2011
"I often think that the sign of a good song is that you can hear something in it that you can identify with and I guess there's a piece of us all in this wonderful song"
August 2011
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QuicoReed (Songramp) on "The Man That I Used To Be"
"There is some awesome shizzle here. What an amazing lyric, and I'm not easily impressed with lyrics, but this is absolutely top notch and musically it's phenomenal"
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Sworn Red (Soundcloud) on Track 4 "Take It Where You Want To Take It"
"Just a rock solid rock, no need for fancy magic, just guitars, drums, bass, vocals and brilliant lyrics, exactly what it needs to be"
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