Feature Friday (on Saturday:/): Eelyk Mukcin and……my cover of PM Dawn’s “I’d Die without You”

Hellooooooo!  So, I have been M.I.A. lately.  But not without reason.  I’ve been a very busy bee, trying to put together the Day4Women album and conference.  I’m so excited about seeing all the pieces coming together:)!   However, I also don’t want to forget the music!  I had planned on doing a Feature Friday yesterday, but my schedule did not permit.  Instead, I’m doing it today:).  Today’s featured artist is a French Canadian singer/songwriter/guitarist/rapper by the name of Eelyk Mukcin (aka Kyle Nickum).  He is “on the Cloud” as well (Soundcloud, that is).  He is 24 and has been playing the guitar since he was 14, but has only recently became serious about making music.  He wrote “I believe free music is FREE music” in his description of his music on his Soundcloud page.

When I first was introduced to Eelyk and his music, the thing that stood out the most was his nonchalant, playful approach and delivery.  Yet hidden inside the playfulness, you’ll find hints of disillusion, frustration, social commentary, and even brokenness.  A good example is in his song called “My Dog is Dead (and My Pickup Truck Won’t Start).  On first listen, you think it is a joke.  But, as you listen, you will hear that he’s referring to the feeling like your world is falling apart. Another good example is the song “Galileo”, an upbeat, funky song, but also a commentary on the history of the Church’s handling of ideas that threatened their position of authority.  He says what he wants (however crass, blunt it may be), how he wants, and does so in a way that makes you appreciate his authenticity even if you’re not in agreement with the message.

Of all his music, perhaps my favorites are the rap pieces.  I happen to love the Beastie Boys and Public Enemy and Eelyk falls in between the two, but adds a little indie rock to the mix.  Two of my favorites are “Freedom of Speech” and “Eraserhead”.

Whatcha think?  Visit his Soundcloud page, or his facebook page and check out what Eelyk is up to.  I do not promise an easy listen.  Prepare for raucous, riotous sounds mixed with some obscenity.  Now, you may ask, why does that appeal to me?  Though it may seem as though my mellow, calming music is on the complete opposite spectrum from Eelyk’s music, there is one commonality and that is that they are both real, genuine expressions of who we are as people.  We wear our hearts on our sleeves, take it or leave it.  And when it comes to art, Cesar A. Cruz said it best, “Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.”  Thanks Eelyk, for making those of us who are “comfortable” wake up a bit:).

On another note:

I haven’t done a new song this week, but I did record a cover (something I don’t do very often).  It is of the early 90’s RnB group, PM Dawn’s, song called “I’d Die Without You”.  I always liked this song, melancholy songs usually do appeal to me for some reason.  But, when I started to do it on the guitar, it kept coming out more as an Blues/Soul version.  So, it is quite different from the original, but it is 100% me.  Here it is, hope you enjoy my rendition and if you don’t, well, I hope you appreciate the fact that it came out of who I am.  Enjoy!

Take care everyone, have a lovely rest of the three-day weekend (for those of you lucky enough to have one!).

Here are some collaboration projects being put out by myself and another Soundcloud Hero, Benjamin Dauer.  Give them a look see!!  See if you might want to get involved:)