ALBUM REVIEW: I’m So Proud Of You! – Mighty
MIGHTY‘s sophomore album I’m So Proud Of You! almost never existed. The five years between the band’s debut album and this one were tumultuous to say the least. Numerous members left the band; one album was scrapped completely; and three EPs were released – one of B-sides, one of demos and one of a few finished songs from the record that never was. When COVID hit, frontman Angelo Fiaretti moved to Pennsylvania, and left behind all previous memories of the band. After realising that he could take control of MIGHTY, Fiaretti wrote and recorded the album whenever he and drummer Cameron Latham felt like it.
The result is a set of ten cathartic songs that kick off with Aplomb which is a mid-tempo rock song that makes the most of its sparse instruments, allowing the vocals to take centre stage. Things slow down for 2 Many Boys, which does unfortunately sometimes fall under the weight of autotune. It is a shame because the vocals are decent, but sometimes they can be hard to hear as the instruments overwhelm them. Whilst it is great that the band are trying new things, the ambition falls short here.
Thankfully, this is fixed during the big burst of energy that engulfs the last third of the song. It leads nicely into the upbeat Orchard, which sees the band embrace the high-energy feel. This continues for a while; it dips down a bit during Crackle, but it picks up again by the end of the song. The latter half of the album returns to the mid-tempo feel. However, this is not a bad thing, and it feels like a natural progression as the album comes full circle.
Saying that, Temporary In Dirt is a high energy closer. It stands in stark contrast to the opener, but it also represents the journey that the album goes on. Furthermore, the overall pacing of I’m So Proud Of You! is nice and steady, and most of the songs fit nicely into their short runtimes.
Although the album does change tempo throughout its runtime, it doesn’t sound out of place. This is because of the set up. Each song builds upon the one before it, whilst also managing to maintain its own identity. Of course, the album isn’t perfect, as the reliance on autotune returns for a bit during the second half, which again seems to muffle some of the lyrics.
Ultimately, MIGHTY should be proud of this album. It is a fun, entertaining and smart record that builds upon each song and tries new things along the way. Whilst the autotune might not work, the rest of the album does, and the tracks all fit into their respective runtimes without sounding too rushed or unfinished. It was definitely worth the five-year wait.
Rating: 8/10
I’m So Proud Of You is out now via self-release.
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