Winnipeg-based singer/songwriter and guitarist Micah Erenberg has shared the second single from his forthcoming album. Titled 'Do It For Love', it's an utterly compelling song with palpable sense of nostalgia, anxiety and a glimmer of hope.
This is high praise, maybe too far you're thinking, but I would put him in the same bracket as Sparklehorse's indie rock genius Mark Linkous or Welsh psychedelia legend Meilyr Jones in terms of the strength of his vocal performance.
There's strength to the instrumentation underpinning it but it's certainly Erenberg's might as someone who makes melody seem effortless that makes him stand out. He uses his voice as a vehicle to tell his story and the listener's left attentive every step of the way with no moment to jar you and take you out of the song's wrath.
Of the track's narrative Erenberg tells us in a press release:
"This one’s about the unpredictability of friendships. You never know what kind of people you’ll end up meeting. You never know who people will grow into with time. Sometimes those who you least expect to bond with end up meaning so much to you. I met this guy at a community house/artspace place in LA. He really didn’t like me too much. Not until I played some TVZ. Turns out we had a lot more in common than we thought.
"Over the next three months we ended up spending some of the greatest times of our lives together. And then I had to move home. We thought we might never see each other again. Four years later I’m playing a song about him in a bar in Minneapolis, and guess who walks in? That was a pretty special moment. Sometimes you don’t know who or what you’re waiting for and then it all comes pretty clear, pretty fast"
Erenberg also has a satisfying appreciation for not making his mixes overly clean and you can hear the energy of a live band somewhat. But that's not to say they've kept it simple: it's a rich, multi layered mix with electric and acoustic guitars combining beautifully with mellotron, acoustic drums, and bass guitar.
Erenberg, in terms of international acclaim, is a newcomer but he is one of the most well-known musicians in his home province of Manitoba and the region's capital of Winnipeg right in the geographical Centre of North America.
The singer’s international press moved thus far have included the first single 'Somewhere Beyond The Ocean'. Set to be released from his as-yet-untitled forthcoming LP with a TBC release date, we wrote about it here.
He’s in the UK next week for his first major tour and kicks off at the Slaughtered Lamb with a host of other Canadian acts dubbed the next big thing. You can find information for that on the Facebook event page here.
Erenberg's UK and Germany tour dates are below:
May
08 London, The Slaughtered Lamb
09 Brighton, The Great Escape Festival (Queens Hotel, 8pm)
11 Brighton, The Great Escape Festival (The Green Door Store, 1:20pm)
12 St Leonards on Sea, Marina Fountain
14 Folkestone, The Chambers
15 Bristol, Vaults
17 Glasgow, Blue Arrow w/ The Leisure Society
18 Middlesborough, Georgian Theatre
20 Leeds, Oporto
23 Coventry, The Tin Arts
29 London, Sebright Arms w/ Mesadorm
June
03 London, The Ned
04 Sheffield, Picture House Social w/ Alan Power
05 London, The Victoria w/ Alan Power
12 Essen, Zeche Carl w/ An Horse
13 Stuttgart, ClubCann w/ An Horse
15 München, Ampere w/ An Horse
16 Neusoernewitz, Garage w/ An Horse
18 Nürnberg, Club Stereo w/ An Horse
19 Münster, Gleis 22 w/ An Horse
20 Haldern, Pop Bar w/ An Horse
21 Köln, Artheater w/ An Horse
22 Aachen, Musikbunker w/ An Horse
23 Wiesbaden, Schlachthof w/ An Horse
25 Hannover, Lux w/ An Horse
26 Hamburg, Schanzenzelt w/ An Horse
27 Berlin, Badehaus w/ An Horse
28 Bremen, Tower w/ An Horse
