Mic Christopher

[El Capitano Gatisto]

I heard his album a while back at a friend's down in Dublin, similar in a way to how I heard of Damien Rice, when he was getting big down there.

Mic Christoper, like Rice, fronted a band, but left to record a solo album. Unfortunately, the poor fucker croaked it in hospital a few days after falling down some stairs accidentally, back in 2001 (I think).

Anyway, his friends and collaboraters managed to put together his debut solo album from demo sessions and album recordings around houses and studios in Dublin.

It's called Skylarkin'. What brought it back to my mind, was the recent use of the first album track, Heyday, on a Guinness ad. I don't know if everyone gets the same Guinness ads, but it's the one where a guy in Ireland hears the song come on the radio, then walks off the side of the country, dives into the Atlantic, swims to New York, finds a pal in a bar, and apologises for something.

Anyone who likes acoustic stuff, a la Damien Rice, should like this. His voice is a lot different. I am not a huge fan of Rice, I think he sounds like a plaintive pop singer without all the production trimmings. Mic Christopher has more character and range.

Track list:

1 Heyday
2 Kids Song
3 Listen Girl
4 Looking For Jude
5 That's What Good Friends Do
6 Loneliest Man In Town
7 Wide Eyed And Lyin'
8 What A Curious Notion
9 I've Got Your Back
10 Skylarkin'
11 Daydreamin'

Might be tough to get those. You can buy the album, if you trust me that much, from Road Records in Dublin. That's how I got it.