New Artist : Mike Mangione

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The latest artist to join us at Burst Labs is Mike Mangione, a dynamic and powerful singer with a subdued and moody new record on his hands - Tenebrae.

There will be obvious comparisons to Ray LaMontagne, Jeff Buckley, and even some Damien Rice, but that shouldn’t diminish a genuine and heartfelt collection of songs such as this. Mike has managed to weave a soundscape thick with emotion and allowed his fantastic voice to shine whether he’s whispering in your ear or belting it out in earnest.

“With Tenebrae I wanted to do something different; I wanted to record something that had a life of its own. I am such a huge fan of producer Daniel Lanois. His albums are like audible incense, seeping through the speakers and filling the room with a funk.”

In the past three years he’s logged over 150 shows a year throughout the country, including such notable performances as SXSW in Austin TX, Midwest Music Summit in Indianapolis IN, Chicago’s Mobfest, and Milwaukee’s Summerfest. Through his travels, Mike met with producer Duane Lundy (The Apparitions, The Scourge Of The Sea, The Parlour Boys) and the two quickly developed a relationship.

From his artist bio :

“Duane and I were both looking for the same thing when we met each other; we were both looking to record a live album.” The two began talking about Ray Lamontange, Ryan Adams, Emmylou Harris, U2, and, of course, Daniel Lanois. “We were like two kids in a candy shop throwing out songs and artists that have moved us.” Mike and Duane picked a date to begin recording, and decided to do as much as they could live with very little overdubbing. “I wanted the album to be recorded as a live performance so that it could breathe and bleed together — literally bleed together into the microphones. I didn’t just want an assortment of songs thrown together on a CD, I wanted consistency and tone; I wanted an album.”

A couple of favorite tracks for us :

Killing Floor, a slow-burner with a tense and contemplative tone.

It’s Me Not You, the album’s lightest and catchiest number, a spare and funky acoustic groove.

We’re thrilled to bring you one of our favorite up and coming independent singer-songwriters, Mike Mangione. Grab his CDs at his website or at iTunes; and, of course, all of the songs on Tenebrae are available for select licensing opportunities right here. [dh]