As the lead singer, piano-player and main composer of Brighton’s prime purveyors of spectacularly theatrical gothic melodrama, Mishkin Fitzgerald has already succeeded in demonstrating her prowess as both a songwriter and a performer. Less than a year on from the release of the band’s sophomore album, Mishkin’s decided to brave the world as a solo artist.
That isn’t to say it’s a purely solo project, as ‘Present Company’ was realised with the input of multi-instrumentalist and producer Forbes Coleman, not to mention the appearance of a few special guests. Then again, their presence doesn’t diminish Mishkin’s creative focus or detract from the fact that the material is built primarily around Mishkin’s vocals, accompanied by her brooding piano work.
‘Raise the Bar’, a collaboration with She Makes War fulfils the title’s promise, an all-out goth rocker of a track. In the context of her oeuvre, ‘Wide Eyed’ is a surprisingly straightforward acoustic love song, but it’s touching and contrasts well with many of the other songs on ‘Present Company’, including the stark, dark ‘Stitches’ which immediately follows it.
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‘Sugarknife’ is perhaps the closest ‘Present Company’ gets to Birdeatsbaby, an explosive piece that’s half cabaret, half Evanescence (only way cooler). It concludes what is a diverse and accomplished album that’s certainly a departure from the theatrical dramatics of Birdeatsbaby. Importantly, ‘Present Company’ confirms Mishkin has no shortage of ideas and suggests we’ll be hearing plenty more from her in the future.
Mishkin Fitzgerald Online
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