Steve Parkin - Mighty BigLight

Wed 30th Mar, 2011 in Music Reviews

Stever Parkin is not a household name. Yet chances are, you have heard is voice before. He’s one quartet of Aussie ‘super’ group, Basement Birds, a former member of Autopilot and has been crafting his pop songs for well over a decade in his hometown of Perth.

Shadowed by the star power of Basement Birds, Parkin didn’t spread his wings within the nest like his fellow band members. But with his solo record, Mighty Big Light all of that is about to change. Parkin finally has the chance to let his voice be heard amongst the recent greats of the indie folk scene. Opening track Lost Highway is too mellow to open the album, with raspy, perhaps shy vocals from Parkin. “This is everything, you’ve ever always wanted” he says subtlety and ambiguously. The seem to be second fiddle to the instrumentals of the track, but it’s merely a ruse so that Parkin can properly project himself later on, something of a prologue to the album.

The upbeat side of Parkin is revealed through Sun Stealer (the album’s highlight) and California. Sun Stealer is the overall stand out track on this album. It’s radio friendly, catchy and engaging, a great song which really shows Parkin’s potential in full. California seems to be influenced by his fellow basement bird, Kav Temperly. It creates imagery of cruising along ocean roads with the sun roof down. Refreshing, a nice touch which leaves a craving for the Summer sunshine that has just passed us by.

But the ballads come out with Sad Girls, it’s a mid album somber moment, where Parkin has his down time. Compensating for the track is City Tonight. Again, it’s very much inspired by Eskimo Joe. Clean rock and roll, something you can dance to at a gig. And while the lyrics are a tad bit cliché, it’s the guitar hooks that take over the listeners’ attention.

As the album reaches the end, the pace slows down with Starlight, and while it’s probably the most unoriginal song title in history, the song itself is a lovely piece that concludes an album that I can honestly say has truly surprised me.

Parkin wanted to make an emotional feel album and what Mighty Big Light feels like a mighty big band album. There are so many different compositions and arrangements happening within, it’s hard to comprehend that one man has envisioned this. The simple fact that Parkin has crafted such a graceful solo effort is truly a marvel.