Endless Mike & The Beagle Club – ‘Saint Paul’ Review
Posted: by Sean Gonzalez
Full of endless fun and incredibly catchy ballads, Saint Paul is a must listen album for fans of indie rock in the realm of Plainview, The Front Bottom or Andrew Jackson Jihad. Combining folk music into blistering rock anthems, Endless Mike & The Beagle Club possess the kind of ingraining music that stays in your head forever. Every track on their LP showcases their contagious writing style, focusing on loud guitar progressions and louder vocal melodies. While having all the ability to write a poppy song that is almost too catchy, one can hear how much fun the group has in writing their music, as expressed by the vibrant way every tune ends (see “St Saul” for the perfect example).
Currently I am in a bar/venue in North Carolina and drowning out the bar music with Saint Paul and the power that was invested into the music is enough to do the job. Whether crashing through melodies with gigantic progressions or solemnly embracing a tender nature on “Winter In Westmont,” The Beagles know how to compose a song. Structure wise, songs follow a repetitive pattern of writing that favors memorability over technicality. This in turn makes it easier for vocalist Mike Miller to rally behind his lyrics. Telling vivid stories of the difficulties of growing up, Saint Paul feels familiar and relative to many people. The ability for the lyrics to wind through the punk rock cluster of sounds as effectively as Endless Mike & The Beagle Club is one thing to find inspiration from across the LP. “Try To See Your Life As A Whole” has a slight rebellious spirit through Miller’s soft beckons while maintaing the free spirit of the music.
Being reflective helps as well, offered through the soft nature of “In Like A Lion.” Nothing soothes the mind more than music that calls for the listener to feel a bit more gratuitous after listening. “My life is just a bank note, trying to make change,” Miller cries out. It’s incredible that Endless Mike & The Beagle Club inherently know how to make life feel more valuable while listening to Saint Saul. In the end, that’s what matters.
Score: 7.2/10
