SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MIKE VIOLA – CHUM

MIKE VIOLA
CHUM
GRAND PHONY MUSIC COMPANY

Chum is Mike Viola’s 12th solo studio album. While he has released numerous albums and EPs with Candy Butchers, he has developed a very stable and healthy solo career. Viola is also known as a producer (Dawes, Andrew Bird, Panic At The Disco to name just a few). In other words, Viola is a very busy guy. However, Chum, his new album, does not sound rushed or hurried at all. It doesn’t sound like an album that is written quickly. It is a masterfully produced album full of top-notch indie-pop songs with a bit of folk sprinkled in for good measure. One can also hear influences from the likes of The Beatles, which is fine by me, because this is an incredible album to enjoy on many levels.

Musically, the album is instantly accessible. It comes through the speakers like an old friend coming through your front door. It takes a minute to get your mind in order, but once you are in Viola’s world, you simply don’t want to leave. Some songs, such as “When A Piano Falls On My Head” are less melodic and more experimental (the laugh at the beginning is chilling). Viola creates a layered soundtrack for his story. He incorporates a little jazz and other styles in one song. Then there are songs, such as “The Sun Is Grooving Backwards” and “Blizzard of 78” which are beautiful and the tune alone brings a tear to the eye.

And then there are the lyrics. Viola does not waste a word. He writes poetry and sets it to music. Much the same as Craig Finn, these songs are like short stories that draw you in and keep you hanging on every word. “Right after my father died, she basically moved in”, Viola sings in “South Shore Girl”. “Ah, we were barely seventeen/Just a boy and a South Shore girl.” The story is set up, and you know the story is going to be fraught with struggles. It is brilliant writing. The same with the incredibly poetic and stunning “Blizzard of 78”.

With Chum, Mike Viola has created a brilliant album that reminds me of an album I would have bought in the 1960s or 1970s. No, the music is not retro, but it holds together like an album. Something you put on the turntable, get the cover and lyric sheet, and immerse oneself. Chum is a stunning album, and albums like Chum are going to make it very difficult choosing the best of the year. Let Chum be your friend, you will be glad you did.

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