Milo McMahon

Artist: Milo McMahon
Album: Who I Knew
Where: CBCMusic.ca

"The songs blend aspects of alt folk, surf core, and what my tree-planting buddies call screef rock. My music is derived from my transatlantic upbringing — from my early years in Ireland to my summers plugging trees in northern Canada." - CBC Music

Next was the headliner, tree planter Milo McMahon and his band, who’re in the midst of a cross-Canada tour. A unique entrance onto the stage is always fun to see: Milo was carried by his “bodyguard” to the stage, and began playing “Gone Too Long,” a rock song drenched in soul. It was a surprising and funny way to start a show that set the tone for McMahon’s set. The other thing that struck me from their setup was bassist Stephen Court’s right-handed, upside-down bass playing skills. It’s a rare thing to see, especially in a bassist who does double duty on synthesizers. They were a real power-trio, filling up the sound as a three-piece and playing some great, feel-good rock n’ roll. The crowd was very supportive throughout their set, which conjured John Mayer vibes during “I’m On Fire” thanks to catchy melodies and smooth grooves. They made me want to dance, and reminded me of Wide Mouth Mason and The Police, combining upstrokes played on the guitar and solid harmonies from the bassist on “Pretty Dresser.” It is worth noting that drummer Mike Beaton was tight and in the pocket, dishing out head-bobbing beats and intricate musical patterns through the set. There was also a jam band aspect to Mr. McMahon’s music, and it was obvious they were having a blast: it was their 20th show on their tour, and you could tell they were well rehearsed. They played a lot of new songs off their latest EP, and seemed to have a tune for everyone: a song about a “Farewell trip”, a song about the “Inside of our love”, a song written while busking in a “Breeze” in Italy, a harder rock song (accompanied by an intense guitar solo), and even a tiny bit of western music in “Come Get Me Eyes”, performed the way Steve Miller would have played it. Near the end of their set, they blew me away by playing one of my all-time favorite songs. “A Day in the Life” is my favorite Beatles song. Very psychedelic and well produced, it transports me every time I listen to it. Milo McMahon’s band did a fantastic job covering this tune which I have dissected throughout the years, and it was a blast to hear live. Going back to his roots, Milo took the crowd by surprise and recited an Irish poem before the last live song of the night. I can’t quote “Raglan Road,” but I do remember it being quite moving, meaningful, and poignant. It was done acapella with only Milo on stage, which made this poem all the more intimate and surprising. Their last song, “Who I Knew,” was a smooth rock number that ended with a bang, making me into a new fan who’ll be looking forward to their next show in Montreal. - Bucketlist Music Reviews

“There’s a deli sandwich in my heart for every one of you.”

Some in the audience might have thought this an attempt at some tongue-in-cheek humour, but Montreal’s Milo McMahon meant it with every well-lived bone in his body. After 6 months on the road and over 33 cities across Ontario, the self-produced and self-managed 28 year old and his drummer/touring partner, Mike Beaton, know first-hand about being on the receiving end of such kindness. The two have journeyed relentlessly across Ontario, promoting McMahon’s newest EP, Gone Too Long, which was released in October, 2014 and produced by David Newfeld. The EP is a follow-up to his full length debut album, Big City Hustle, released earlier the same year.
Born in Dublin, McMahon’s family moved to Canada where he grew up for a time in Winnipeg. When his parents decided to move back to Ireland, Milo’s heart and soul had grown Canadian roots and spent the next few years doing anything it took to move back to the land of hockey, the great outdoors, and the culture he‘d grown fond of. While in university he formed a band called The Popular Front, which won a ’Battle Of The Bands’ competition and landed them great exposure in front of some 20,000 people. By the age of 19, the band began to play the bigger venues in Dublin. Soon after, they were signed with indie label, Bacteria Buffet Records and sent on a Canadian tour.
By this time McMahon had been spending summers planting trees across the Canadian landscape. He also decided to pursue his own songwriting and made the decision to leave the band. Finances gained from tree planting facilitated his living expenses and enabled him to move back to Canada where he settled for a time in Toronto. However, it wasn’t easy trying to make it in the music business and so he began to write the songs which would make up his first album, Big City Hustle, based on his experiences of living in the confines of a rat-raced concrete jungle.
Milo_McMahonAfter three years McMahon moved to Montreal, finished the album, and began to write a few songs for a follow-up EP. He set his sights on finding a drummer he could bring the songs on tour with. A mere 5 months ago he placed an ad on Craigslist which was answered by musician Mike Beaton. They clicked musically and thus began a joining of forces in a schedule that has quickly gained momentum, with increased audiences, and venues asking them to return. The next 6 months will entail a series of 76 dates across Canada, including many music festivals, before heading to Europe in the fall. A new album is planned for the Spring of 2016, along with a U.S. tour. Even with such a hefty itinerary, the boys have enjoyed every minute and put their best foot forward with every performance.
McMahon’s performance Sunday night at Ottawa’s Rainbow Bistro offered a mix of cuts from his debut album, some new material, and all three songs from his recent EP. He opened appropriately with its title track, “Gone Too Long”. I was immediately drawn down a colourful path of major to minor chord changes, winding melodies, spot-on widely ranged vocals, and some subtle but effective synth embellishments, which lent an atmospheric edge to the material.
The music bore some striking similarities to the more progressive and experimental work of the Beatles, along with McMahon’s vibrant vocals which added a glow of playfulness to the music. Second from the EP, “Come Get Me Eyes”, brought many up to the dance floor with its rockier edge, faster pace, heavier guitar licks, and its very catchy, completely melodic flow. And finally, the third track from the new release, “Buyin’ A Truck”, had an interesting Herman’s Hermits meets modern grunge feel to it. I loved its happy pace and impressive vocal climbs, which had hints of an edgier sounding Todd Rundgren.
McMahon also played some new unreleased material, which he plans to record on another upcoming EP. One called, “Who I Knew”, started beautifully with a cascade of gorgeous chords into a pretty melody. I loved the starts and abrupt stops which were also present in some of his other material. The song gained intensity with looped rhythms, drops into half-time, and a slick guitar solo. The final song of the show, “I’m On Fire”, got off to a smooth jazzy start, then built up into a rockier tone, while it maintained its steady tempo. Escalating modulation brought an increased dramatic intensity before it dropped down to a quiet ending.
The music of Milo McMahon is much like the transitions of his life…moving from one interesting phase to the next. His Gone Too Long EP explores a variety of vintage and modern tones which include influences from his diverse musical diet of bands like the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Guns & Roses, Neil Young, and the Beastie Boys. His brilliant songwriting takes you on a winding, scenic tour filled with one interesting view after another, and for Milo McMahon, it would seem the ride is only starting. - Apt 613

McMahon, despite being an impressively talented guitar player and songwriter, is also hilarious. With an announcement from his manager Frankie about some good hash, he also mentioned that his accountant thought he was an idiot for offering albums and T-shirts together for twenty bucks. “But I said, ‘Sorry mom, you’re not the boss of me anymore!’”

It almost didn’t even feel like St. Patrick’s day, until Milo started speaking Gaelic from the stage (he was raised in Ireland); that guy is full of hijinks.

Though McMahon was performing as just a two-piece (his drummer Mike and himself), McMahon is a skilled enough player that you didn’t notice a hole where the bass should have been. Just the contrary. Sounds were rich, dance-y and upbeat.

The quality of the set was backed up by Milo’s crazy stage presence. Though writers often quip the cliché “natural born performer,” it doesn’t always apply to just any charismatic performer. However, McMahon has something special, if only for his genuine approach to music, and life. - Bandmark

Navigating a music community as vast as Montreal’s can be daunting, but thanks to yours truly, you’re about to be turned onto a few good locals. And hey, just because you’ve never heard of them, doesn’t mean that others haven’t.

With this undercurrent of bar-raising musicianship, it begs the question: What will be the next musical trend, after our peers adorned in George-Costanza jackets, four-paneled hats and Levis jeans run out of stage gimmicks? Perhaps one of the artists listed here will come up with something more innovative than yet another analogue synth jam:

1. Milo McMahon
McMahon is one of those classic songwriters who kicks out the pure jams. Don’t be deterred by the term “song-writer,” though. This ain’t some campfire acoustic stuff. His latest EP “Gone Too Long,” was produced with Broken Social Scene’s Dave Newfeld, and features members from Montreal band SUUNS and Blood and Glass. It’s loud, it’s fun, it’s pretty.

... - Bandmark

The real star of the night was Milo McMahon, the event‘s second act. After having spent some years in Toronto, he has come to this fine city to establish his base of operations, and this was the debut of his new band. He sang with a passionate wail; his voice harkens back to the style and register of 70s progressive rockers, except with that particular rawness and energy of punk. He does, however, place emphasis on the clarity of his lyrics, so that his wit and overall lyrical skill is not lost in the sound of the music - a definite plus. The fender-on-fender blast of electric guitar was the perfect companion to Milo’s voice, as it filled the venue with an appropriately boastful roar of riffs in the finest rock tradition. It was a great tone that was very effectively dialled-in like an electric guitar should be. His set included a number of real standout tracks, such as “Big City Hustle,” “Celtic Tiger,” and “Don‘t Go To Edmonton To Dance,” as they all contained a wonderful mix of great lyrics and riffs. Personally speaking, I would have to say that you owe it to yourself to see Milo and his band. It is absolutely a must-see act if you love rock music and want to see an up-and-comer playing the style the way it should be played: with energy and integrity. - Hot Soupe (Montreal Live Music Blog)