One consistent quality of Mike Schikora’s songwriting is how each lyric has a common frame of reference. Virtually any adult over the age of 18 has experience with the bulk of emotions his songwriting traffics in, and the remaining material, arguably aimed at older listeners, retains ample stylistic similarities and provides a satisfying counterweight to the aforementioned widespread appeal of his material. His art is capable of satisfying many musical desires.
Outlaw from the South shows that. The new album from this Montana native, Texas-based singer/musician/songwriter encompasses a handful of recognizable textures over twelve songs. He begins the collection with its title song. I traditionally interpret a band or artist opening albums with the title song as a statement of purpose and/or a sign of confidence. If that take holds any water with “Outlaw from the South”, it tells listeners that Mike Schikora intends for you to accept him on his terms or not at all.
The ruthless and blood-soaked narrative running through the lyrics will catch your attention. Schikora’s up to tackling lyrics such as this and invests the tale with rugged authority. It is full of his time living in Texas, the sinewy guitars, the warm, slightly overdriven sound of the amplifiers, and the reverb present throughout the arrangement bear it out. He wears it well. “These Are the Good Old Days” hits the sweet spot for me. It is an unexpected twist on a hoary songwriting tradition, and it sounds like he means it rather than playing it for laughs. It’s an important distinction for the song’s final impact. Nuanced accompaniment reinforces its merits; Schikora obviously surrounds himself with top-notch cohorts.
The slightly rugged “Waitin’ Out a Storm” has a sound befitting its subject matter. Schikora’s singing captures the right amount of desperation to dramatize the lyrics without overplaying his hand. Vocals are a key strength of Outlaw from the South’s material across the board, and the choruses for songs such as this are especially powerful hallmarks of the album’s power. “It Ain’t Whiskey Til It Rains” is kind of a nonsense song, but Schikora never performs it as such. It packs plenty of punch, without ever sounding leaden, and slots in nicely during Outlaw from the South’s second half.
There’s elegant lead guitar work woven throughout “Something from Me to You” that works well with one of Schikora’s most dreamlike vocals. Production bears mentioning as one of the crucial ingredients in Outlaw from the South’s success and this track is one of the best examples of what it brings to the table “It’s the Little Things” is another of the album’s peak moments. It has rousing emotion palpable from the outset and I appreciate the uplift of the song’s arrangement. It’s a great late track on the album and functions as a traditional climax. Outlaw from the South’s coda, the final song “Last Rose of Summer”, is another love song from Schikora that sounds and feels particularly proper as the closer.
Mike Schikora definitely shows some specific songwriting and musical predilections throughout Outlaw from the South. However, there’s ample variety spread across the twelve songs and I found it rewarding after even a single listen.
Mindy McCall
