OK, so I'm a bit biased. Mike is a good friend and my inspiration for much of my ukulele stuff. I'm still trying to work out the humour from the depths of his mind - he says that this EP is "A collection of true stories, made up by Krabbers". He has an obtuse look on things that I'd sometimes compare with Spike Milligan. I like that.
However, I'll try and be objective. This is an EP with a number of short, humourous songs. I don't think Mike set out to do anything deep with this, but release some stuff that's fun, which it does. It has a 'Parental Advisory' tag, I'm not sure if it's for the use of the word 'Poo', or the innuendo in "Catch Of The Day", but it's pretty harmless really.
I reckon much of this CD would be great entertainment in the car for the kids to sing along. Mike's timing is brilliant, and his self-taught ukulele style works well, not great rock riffs, but honest, rhythmic strumming, although there are some twiddly bits and he goes up the neck a lot more than the majority of us!
The songs are mostly little stories often with funny twists at the end. "Portaloo" has pretty much become a legend.
You can tell that some of the songs are recorded at home, not in a studio, but that adds to their reality much of the time. Mike will tell you it's "all done in one take" anyway.
There's a long pause at the end of the last track. Stick with it...
Check out Mike's stuff at the unplugthewood site. Buy his music on iTunes or when you meet him.
7 (or 8?) tracks, 20 minutes.
1. Portaloo
2. Angry Bees
3. Dead Rat
4. Songs Of Praise
5. Jigsaw Puzzle
6. Hedgehog Poo
7. Catch Of The Day + ????
Review - Simon Taylor, 11th June 2016