artist Mike Clark

A former university wrestler, music school dropout, oilfield roughneck and road manager for Tegan and Sara, Mike Clark has managed to unfold himself into an expressive performing songwriter with honest lyrics and a knack for hooky melodies. His debut album, Darker Machines, co-produced with Futcher (The Be Good Tanyas) successfully crafts a sincere imitation of Wilco, Nirvana and Elliot Smith. Seamlessly switching from the hushed acoustic guitar of “Three’s and Four’s,” to the Violent-Femmes-cum-Sonic-Youth fury of “Broke Glass,” Mike Clark proves his adeptness at both songcraft and performance. Since opening for Tegan and Sara on a spring 2003 tour of the Northeastern United States, word of mouth has begun to spread of Mike’s prowess as a live entertainer. Charming audiences with his regular-guy-next-door demeanor and memorable melodies, Mike sold a hundred copies of his “Sharpie EP” (so called because he scrawled his name on it with a marker) in just 5 dates. And you can expect the same response this spring, as Mike hits the stage opening for Kinnie Starr. Joining the stable of artists at the Vancouver-based collective, Copperspine Records, Mike Clark exemplifies their stance for music with integrity and intelligence. Whether on stage, or as captured in the songs on this disc, the honesty and directness of Mike Clark’s music is clear to all that hear it.

Mike Clark artist