By ROBERT DUGUAY
When a family member, friend or loved one passes away, there are numerous ways to honour their existence. There’s the old-fashioned way of a wake and a funeral, but there’s also a mural, a memorial or even a song. Coventry native Mike Jencks opted for the latter, and even more so under his hip-hop pseudonym ToadStool. The result of this endeavour is ‘Good Grief’, self-released on June 14. It’s his third album to come out so far this year, following ‘Smother’ in February and ‘Swampcrawlr’ in April, and it’s a testament to how dedicated and consistent Jencks is when it comes to his craft.
The trigger for “Good Grief” was the death of a good friend of Jencks a few months ago. After processing the emotions that arose after a personal loss, he decided to channel them into his music.
“This album was written from start to finish in three weeks after my buddy Peter died,” he describes the creation of the full version in the liner notes. “I wanted to honor him by throwing myself into a work of art… that he would have liked. Peter Fortin forever.”
Much like his previous two albums, there are a number of jazz samples and killer beats flowing beneath the lyrics. Jencks’ delivery is charismatic and authentic, he doesn’t talk nonsense and every word he utters carries weight. I would also say that Jencks returns to his creative roots with this record after creating more abstract material with his other recordings. There is a classic hip hop structure with rhymes and instrumentation forming a cohesive dynamic, a quality that both purists and idealists of the timeless style will appreciate.
This is especially true of a number of tracks. “I’ve Been Trying” starts off in a melancholy way with a chopped up piano sample as an introduction, along with a voice clip before the beat kicks in. “What’s The Damage?” starts off in a similar way, but with a horn that kicks things off and weaves in and out throughout the song. “Coke Cans” has a sweet bass line that I absolutely love and that everything else bounces off of. Other highlights from “Good Grief” include “…Tomorrow’s Lunch,” “Poison Mist,” and “Go To Church.”
To listen to “Good Grief,” log on to ToadStool’s Bandcamp page at xxxtoadstoolxxx.bandcamp.com. While you’re at it, check out Jenck’s band Toad and The Stooligans at toadandthestooligans.bandcamp.com. Both sites are packed with fantastic music to keep your ears busy if you have time. For future announcements, follow ToadStool on Facebook at facebook.com/LLStoolJ. In the meantime, immerse yourself in a superb album that pays tribute to a person who meant a lot to a talented artist.
