Myles Mayo
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Myles Mayo

Adelaide, South Australia, Australia | INDIE

Adelaide, South Australia, Australia | INDIE
Band Alternative Singer/Songwriter

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This band has not uploaded any videos
This band has not uploaded any videos

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"9/10 Album Review"

9/10 Album Review:
A remarkable storyteller, creating a cast of compelling characters, vivid images and magical melodies - MAG (Jeff Jenkins)

- Mag - Inpress - Jeff Jenkins


"8/10 Album Review"

Adelaide's Myles Mayo (ex-Special Patrol frontman) brings us a solid debut pop album that sets great storytelling to the sound of a steel guitar. Filled with cute, albeit-bitter tracks about love, like standouts 'How You Done Me Wrong' and 'I Slept the Winter Underground', it's like Tegan and Sara - pretty impressive since there is only one of him.
- Triple J Magazine (JMag)


"Special Patrol Album review 2009"

Review on Death to the Speaker’s online Mag:
“South Australia's Special Patrol have created an album I think anyone would be hard pressed to not like. Simple rhythms, a well balanced mix of instruments to complement the songs which never sound forced, contrived or overdone.” Death to Your Speakers Review
(http://www.deathtoyourspeakers.com/special-patrolthe-strangers-dozen/)
- Death to the Speakers


"Album Review - USA blog"

USA Review - Baby Sue Magazine
“when we heard "Hot Air Balloon" we became instantly interested in this band. The tune is a super simple easy pop track that, in a perfect world, would be a hugely successful hit single. Because we were so blown away by that particular tune, we kept playing this CD over and over...and eventually warmed up to just about every song on this album. The folks in this band have a very simple, direct, sparse sound that is centered around vocal melodies and lyrics. There are no cutesy studio gimmicks and the folks in the band look like regular people. After spinning this album about ten or fifteen times...we finally decided that it had to be a top pick this month. There's so much to like here...hummable melodies...excellent understated vocals...inspired playing...and, above all, the songs themselves. Killer smooth pop cuts include "In Between You and Me," "Ordinary Life," "Hot Air Balloon," and "Like I Loved You Then." Recommended.” (Rating: 5++)
(http://www.babysue.com/2009-Oct-LMNOP-Reviews.html#anchor92171)
- Baby Sue Magazine


"Album Review - USA blog"

USA Review - Online music Magazine 52 Shows.com
I’m always attracted to music that initially sounds good and then offers a deeper level of appreciation once you get around to the lyrics. Myles' music falls into this category. Why he has not cracked into the States is beyond me. All the elements are there for hipsters to salivate over: a pop sounding tune, an ambiguous music video with a creepy set of kids and a chorus that uses a phrase from the 70s.
- 52 Shows.com


"Myles Mayo self-titled debut"

When I looked up Myles Mayo a couple of weeks ago, what I found gave me a bit of a fright. How could such an accomplished folk-pop artist be operating and flourishing in Adelaide without me knowing?! Well, there’s a good reason. I did hear that he had supported Mama Kin at her last Adelaide show, but assumed he was an interstate act for the sole reason that I hadn’t heard of him. I later found out that this was one of his first solo gigs (with band) In Adelaide, so perhaps I could be forgiven for not knowing of him before this. Myles Mayo is the former front man of Special Patrol, who were certainly one of the best bands to come out of Adelaide in the last 5 years, and Mayo‘s solo work absolutely retains all of what I loved about the band’s music whilst bringing a whole new bag of tricks to the party.

My overall first impression of Mayo‘s debut album was; ‘this is bound for high Triple J rotation’. With a sound somewhere between Grizzly Bear and Jonathan Boulet, the album is literally track after track of catchy, playful pop melodies that are expertly produced.

The record begins very strongly with “My Little Tokyo”- a song which probably encompasses what Mayo‘s music is about pretty conclusively. Acoustic and slide guitars, fun hand-percussion, and cute, summery rhythmic/melodic sounds that could come from anything from steel-drums to keys to glockenspiel. In my opinion, it is this song and then next one, “How You Done Me Wrong”, that have the greatest potential for success. They’re just catchy pieces of good songwriting. I think what I enjoy most about these two tracks is the absurd coupling of cheerful composition and dark lyricism.

You’d probably think that, because I’ve said that the first 2 tracks probably have the greatest potential for success, that the album is going to go downhill from here- but no, it doesn’t. Track 3, “I Slept The Winter Underground”, is probably my favourite song on the album. Its chord progression, vocal melody and instrumentation reinforces that you’re listening to a writer of inspired music- not just catchy tunes. The next track, “Leave The Party” is probably a good opportunity to talk about Mayo‘s vocals. One of the biggest hurdles I’ve noticed for local artists is transferring great quality live performance into great quality recordings. The elements, it seems, that most artists have difficulty in capturing are percussion and vocals (for some reason)- and the acts that get this right in the studio are inevitably the ones that get noticed by radio. Myles Mayo‘s vocals are always spot on, and whilst there’s nothing particularly spectacular about them, the’re certainly special enough to become attached to. The vocal harmonies are relentless, but simple and only ever complimentary and there’s a distinct air of confidence in his voice- you can tell you’re listening to a seasoned performer.

Track 5, “Daddy’s Lamb To The Slaughter”, is a masterclass in quirk. From the frolicsome lyrics to the bouncy bass line to the cheeky inclusion of a very recognisable famous cello-line in the bridge; this song is perfectly odd- like something you’d expect from Akron/Family. It is followed by the more conventional “Crazy Like Me” which is a song that I think is really made by its production- particularly the distortion on the secondary vocal track and the resonating and continuous piano chords.

The album moves back into quirk as quickly as it departed from it with track 7, “Ice-Cream Truck”. Although being a lovely, original composition, the track draws influence from a range of unexpected places. In the mix is the traditional ice-cream truck tune, verses that follow a similar melody and timing to “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz, the lyrics “swing low sweet chariot”, and a high-pitched accompaniment that sounds as if it could be coming from a theremin. The next song “Young Love Aches” goes to a place that, having listened to the first 7 songs, I dearly hoped it would. I could hear a potential for big, layered, harmonious group vocals in the first half of the album, but it never really gets there until this track, and results in a very danceable Polyphonic Spree-like happy-place of a song.

When listening to the album from start to finish, Track 9, “What, Cat Got Your Tongue?”, is probably my favourite one after Track 3. The mix fingerpicking guitar, strings, punchy tambourine and the return of that mysterious high-pitched theremin-like sound (which I’m sure is just a keyboard function) makes for another really interesting song. Track 10, “Please RSVP”, is probably a little bit too similar to both “My Little Tokyo” & ”Leave The Party” for me, and the album could have probably done without it. .The last 2 tracks on the album are absolute treasures- I just hope people find them. I know I often only have 30 minutes at any one time to listen to an album and seem to never get around to the last one or two tracks. ”School Girl”- a slow little ditty about emotional immaturity, and the - Timber and Steel


"Special Patrol - The Stranger's Dozen - Album Review 2009"

The band’s wistful, bittersweet melodies are complemented excellently by frontman Myles Mayo’s wistful, bittersweet lyrics, and the album – even during its duller moments – is a pleasantly organic-sounding listen.
Opening track ‘In Between You And Me’ features the familiar combo of twanging guitar, hand claps and well-placed xylophone, setting the vibe for the rest of the album. Highlights include the ballad ‘Lights Of A Plane’ and the delightfully wistful ‘Hot Air Balloon’. The single ‘New Years Eve’, with its string section, murky wah-wah guitar and almost disco-ish drum beat, comes off almost as a darker-than-average dance track. It’s an original and intriguing pop song that proves the Patrol aren’t afraid to play around with genre.
Special Patrol could well be described as the sort of slightly gritty alt-country-slash-folk band that it’s cool to like – the sort with rock and pop sensibilities more suited to a lonesome inner-city bar than a lonesome outback paddock.
Daniel Wynne - Time Off Magazine, Brisbane, Australia


Discography

Over the last 6 years Myles has written and released 3 albums, and 3 EPs with the band he founded Special Patrol. He released his first solo album in April 2011 and is preparing to release his second solo album "Myles mayo & The Modern Heart" in Sept 2013.

Photos

Bio

Myles has just completed his second solo album "Myles Mayo & The Modern Heart" due for release 20 September 2013.

Background:
Myles is a self-produced singer/songwriter from Adelaide, South Australia. He is signed to Mushroom Publishing. He brought out his first solo album in 2011 through Other Tongues (now dissolved). Many of his songs have been added to high rotation on radio Australia wide (JJJ, ABC network, Single of the Week on Itunes etc). Lots of music placed on Australian TV and Film. In his past he has toured and/or shared the stage with Ben Kweller (JJJ live at wireless), Paul Weller (UK), The Bees (UK), Turin Brakes (UK), The Mountain Goats (USA), Maximo Park (UK), Powderfinger, The Whitlam's, Clare Bowditch, Paul Kelly, Tim Rogers, Cat Empire, Eskimo Joe, The Church... to name a few. Played the Falls Festival main stage (twice), Big Day Out, Woodford Folk Festival and the Clipsal 500 after race concert.