DC Music WWWebIssue 12 Volume 2 November 1997
by Grant Moser
It may be November, and the weather may be getting colder, but curling up with October Sun by Mike Shupp is a very good idea. His first solo album, released on Private Mind records, has guitarist Mike Shupp defining his sound early and quickly.
Mike Shupp used to play with Big Bang Theory and Nickel. Now he is on his own and uses his guitar to form the basis for most of his songs. October Sun begins with a poppy Smithereens/Toad the Wet Sprocket sound on "Letter to Annette", which sounds quite good. "Right for You" is a song that you find yourself humming after the CD is over. The music on the album is definitely poppy, even hinting at a little influence from the Michael Penn side of music. However, don't let the term "poppy" fool you. The songs consist of little background melodies and chord changes that you at first don't catch, but eventually notice because your mood changes all of the sudden with them.
Able to be played during a party, while driving, or even when you are alone at night, staring out your window at the city, becoming lost in your thoughts, October Sun has a very good and transmutable vibe according to the situation you find yourself in.
The songs deal with love and relationships almost exclusively. Songs about the girl you lost, being in a relationship and having different goals for it, leaving your girl, and even pining for love as a antidote to the world you live in make up the subject matter. The whole album feels like a type of catharsis for Mike, as evidenced in "Without You" - "And if it's the last thing I do/I'm gonna break this into a million pieces", or in "Prove Me Wrong" - Well, I'm out of the dark and lonely place I've been/Into the bright and shining light again."
The title of the album brings to mind the coming of fall, when the leaves begin to change color, and nature prepares to die off some. It is still warm, but you know you are entering a rough time ahead. The sun is still shining brightly, but not quite as warm. The songs capture this feeling of transistion, of change coming. The picture of Mike on the front walking off to on side down a deserted sidewalk, deep in his thoughts, helps capture this feeling.
A good album, full of guitar riffs and catchy hooks, well-written lyrics; "Sunrise in the wrong constellation/Star sign pointing to my destination/Take my place in a long line of confusion/Just a taste of my own brand of illusion", October Sun makes the upcoming winter a little easier to bear.