The perfect blend. The perfect cup of coffee with a strong kick, a bitter bite, and a comforting sensation of a fall morning. The perfect whiskey blend, with a subtle hint of vanilla, charred oak curing infused into the burn as it coats your teeth and warms your belly. The perfect balance. That is what M.R. Poulopoulos “Harvest the Heart” screams to me. Equal parts beautiful, and thoughtful, introspective writing mixed with a soul and groove that will compel you to move and dance. This music excites me. It gives me hope for a brighter future of truly inspired writing and arranging of songs. It’s just…plain…great music.

I am pretty sure most gents can relate to “Mad in the Morn” in one way or the other. Regretfully for myself, and my wife, the subject of the song is one we have experienced. Though the deeper message of the words are “hey, I f*ck up sometimes, but let’s forgive each other because we love the other person”. The song has a great movement and vibrance to it. Sure it’s a “drinking song”, it’s got a little country tinge to its edges, but M.R.’s mellow vocal is at the heart of the song, keep everything in balance.
“Ink Fades” is flat out an incredibly emotive and stirring song. Poulopoulos’ voice hovers across the plain of sound, casting a fine shadow that pulls you to his voice, while still feeling the rest of the arrangement. Fine picked guitar, faint tints with the pedal steel and viola. Just enough. Very emotional, very beautiful…I love this song.

The ink on the page starts to fade
Abandoned my promises in the rain
A watermark soaked by a stain
the remaining words circle the drain.

The records namesake track is one with a groove to it. Evoking bits of the Grateful Dead and The Band with an acoustic driven edge. The acoustic guitar and the songwriter’s voice are the mainstays the push each track forward, but this one really fills the sound out and gets you moving. The forward pressing bass line, the crying of the pedal steel guitar, and that very natural percussive pulsing will make you start moving without realizing. This is the “closer” for a live set. This is the song that gets the crowd excited and everyone on stage gets to “take one”. This is the type of music that makes me happy, this puts a dumb smile on my face when I am listening to it waiting on the train platform, this is how music is supposed to be and what it is supposed to do to you.

Poulopoulos has a very gentle way about him. Both in his nature and in his songs. There is a vulnerability to the themes in his songs. Weary, a man who has made some mistakes but always searching for redemption. His playing style is intricate, with some really wonderful acoustic guitar picking. Sometimes tender and calm, other times digging in where the mood calls for it. It’s an adaptive style that keeps his music interesting. Some part blues, some parts American roots, with a fine dusting of traditional folk music.

Listen to and buy ‘Harvest the Heart’ here: http://mrpoulopoulos.bandcamp.com/

Better yet get to a show and buy the hardcopy of the record. This guy has the whole package, great songs, great performance, and even his album art work is inspired.