Mike Younger — Little Folks Like You And Me

Release Date: July 21, 2017

If there’s anything that recent history has shown, it’s that everyone has an opinion. And there’s never been a shortage of independent musicians using their songs as a platform for whatever causes they espouse. What are often lacking, however, are songs that stand on their own, as good music. The water crisis in Flint, Michigan, sadly, inspired one of the strongest tracks on this album. Younger sings with conviction about the challenge that faced Flint, as well as the environment in general.

The chord progressions here are all satisfying, and the backup vocals swell in all the right places. On the whole, however, Little Folks Like You And Me is a fairly predictable collection. No doubt, this isn’t a problem; people rarely expect more from an artist these days. Is there anything less exciting than a Social Justice artist in 2017? I wonder if Younger will ever sing a song acknowledging the fact that the Environmental Protection Agency awarded $100 million to Flint, at the behest of President Trump?

Essential Downloads: “If I Was A Wheel,” “Poisoned Rivers,” “How To Tell A Friend Goodbye.”