Albums of the Year - #14: Mikal Cronin - "MCII"

Rating: 7.5/10

Multi-instrumentalist Mikal Cronin has collaborated with several other musicians throughout his young career, including rising garage rock star Ty Segall. But his most impressive work to date may be his second solo record, MCII. Employing a stellar combination of guitar noise and shimmering melodies, MCII is jam-packed with powerful singles with commercial appeal. Three tracks ("Weight," "Change," and "Shout It Out") made it onto my top 75 singles of the year list, and dutifully so. The record is simple and succinct, lasting just thirty-seven minutes, and that's all it needs to be. Cronin doesn't mess around on MCII, getting right down to business. In order for that to work, usually you need impeccably songwriting ability, which Cronin eagerly displays here.