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[SINGER-SONGWRITER] Mike Coykendall is known primarily for his role as a producer and engineer who helps build robust soundscapes for some of Portland's best bands, from M. Ward to Blitzen Trapper. His own solo albums are thoroughly fleshed-out affairs. So the prospect of a back-to-basics album recorded with Coykendall's minimal live setup of guitar, drums and reverb seemed a scary prospect—like a tightrope walker turning down a net for the first time.
He certainly doesn't splat on the concrete. Coykendall is savvy enough to twist his simple "rig" setup into a baker's dozen of different sounds, from the raunchy fuzz of "Spacebaker Blues" to the Byrds-y "You Don't Have to Treat You that Way," all wrapped up in shimmery reverb. In fact, some of the best songs on Half Past, Present Pending—a collection that mixes new and old tunes—are the simplest, both in production and delivery. "Travel Round the World" finds Coykendall at his most vulnerable, while "Hard Landing" underscores the depth of Coykendall's ability both as a songwriter and studio wizard. The songs don't have Dylan's devious wordplay or Elliott Smith's pain, but they are ample in craft and honesty, which goes an awful long way.
SEE IT: Mike Coykendall plays nine album release shows, beginning at Doug Fir Lounge, 830 E Burnside St., with Fernando and the Jeremy Wilson Band, as part of Project Pabst, on Saturday, July 18. 9 pm. $10 advance, $12 day of show. 21+. See mikecoykendall.com for information on the rest.
WWeek 2015