With so many one to three song releases, sometimes it seems hard to keep up with Papa M, let alone keep track. While many of these smaller releases are of lesser quality (perhaps the harder it is to get, the worse the songs are), giving up on the Papa M single completely will cause you to totally miss out on gems like this one, Songs of Mac.
With only two songs and just under 15 minutes of music, this single finds Pajo looking to other outlets to help him explore his desire to sing while still allowing him to refrain from actually writing any lyrics himself. In the past Pajo has looked to both traditional folk songs and more modern day folk singers; here Pajo tries something a little different. Instead of looking to known artists and works, he looks to people in his community. For this EP, two unknown Louisville writers contribute words for Papa M to sing and write music for.
The results are stunning. These songs are perhaps Pajo's most carefully composed since the original Aerial M album: each tone has resonance and richness, each progression has power and delicacy. It is the closest Pajo has come to combining the instrumental beauty of that first M album with his new love of singing.
Both songs represent the most fragile of emotions. While the words might not be the most beautiful or most poetic, the emotion is ripe. In fact, Mac Finley's "The Person and the Skeleton" may be interpreted as a suicide note, ending the song with the words, "Maybe the end of the world is something we can all do together." The rest of the lyrics are equally as tragic. To match these forlorn words, Pajo creates a somber, glowing bed of guitar ambience and a forceful piano dirge. The music alone is heartbreaking; when combined with the utter gloom of
Finley's words, the song is overwhelming.
In "So Warped," Aubrey Rozier is torn between following her heart and following her mind. While this may seem lighthearted compared to "The Person and the Skeleton," this decision is fraught with emotion, as if Rozier is deciding whether or not to stay with her lover. The song centers on the symbolism of two girls on a swing set, each girl representing a different path, which is used to represent the decision. Each time one girl approaches, she receeds and the other choice approaches; neither choice seems entirely desireable. Musically, this song is more straightforward than Finley's—essentially just a piano ballad with some short but potent guitar sections, but it is done very delicately and femininely, matching well the tone of the lyrics.
This idea of using other people—even non-"artists"—to write lyrics for Pajo seems to make sense. Using a song someone has already written all the parts to—words and music—limits Pajo's creativity at the guitar. When Pajo first started singing, a common rumor was that Will Oldham would be writing lyrics for Pajo to sing. If only! This EP might not be that ultimate treat, but it is still essential for all Papa M fans.
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