ALBUM REVIEW: Mickey Leigh’s Mutated Music – Variants of Vibe
Micky Leigh is a well-known, long-standing artist from the New York area. Once part of The Rattlers, the brother of legendary punk-rock vocalist Joey Ramone continues to make music as part of his “ Mickey Leigh’s Mutated Music Project”. How does his latest project fare, and just how varied truly are the vibes? Find out everything you need to know, plus my thoughts below!
Introducing “Variant of Vibe”
Releasing this Friday, Variants of Vibe is the newest album from the elder statesman of the NYC punk scene, not long before the Netflix adaptation of his hit book “I slept with Joey Ramone”. It comes in at a total of fourteen solid tracks, releasing on all major platforms.
First Impressions
Despite stepping away from the group dynamic Mickey was known for in his earlier years, he clearly has his own personal style on lock. You can tell from the first track that this is an artist who knows their strong suits. From track 1 to 14, the writing is truly something to behold. Whether you like it or not, Leigh’s catchy lyrics and infectious choruses are going to stick in your head all day!
My Personal Highlights
This album didn’t catch me right away with the first song, Little Christine, which I found a little sparse for an opener. However, the third track really kicked it up a notch. Punchy drums, a killer guitar track and a memorable set of lyrics throughout.
The album definitely had a strong end too with a slightly stripped back acoustic piece that captures a folk-ier vibe whilst still having that infectious punk energy that sold this album as a whole.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking to check out this album, I’d recommend giving it a go. It can be a little old-school, but who says that’s a bad thing? Truth be told, the vibes don’t vary all that often – but they are nonetheless very solid, throughout. Mickey Leigh’s Mutated Music has produced an exciting and well-put-together album, I look forward to hearing where this older artist mutates to next.
