RMCM

the take

Often overshadowed by the viral success of Evergreen is the robust artistry found in the debut album from Richy Mitch & The Coal Miners. Marked by simple instrumentation, subtle production, and plenty of wilderness imagery, RMCM presents poignant honesty through soft vocals and earthy instrumentals. Themes of the album include unrequited love and personal growth, often through the lens of mother nature’s beauty. Wind is a good example, told from the perspective of a burning fire that grows at first, being fed by the wind, but is eventually put out after the wind becomes too strong. Fire represents his love for her, but she is the wind to his fire. Another example is Lake Missoula, using the imagery of a lake formed by glacial floods as a metaphor for leaving your old self behind. Musically, the majority of tracks are acoustic, featuring a mix of wistful acoustic strumming or balladic piano playing. One of my favorites is St. Paul, which describes losing touch in a long-distance relationship over a complex, sometimes crunchy piano solo. Another one of my favorites, Lucerne, breaks this mold with its folk-rock-esque drums paired with a catchy piano progression that gives the track a more energetic, complete feel. Overall, the unpolished aspects of this album gives each track something that cannot be engineered: heart. Richy Mitch & The Coal Miners have a penchant for songwriting that has been apparent from the very beginning. Selfishly, I hope we get a remaster or “anniversary” edition of this album some time down the road.