MICHAEL McDERMOTT St . Paul ’ s Boulevard
( Pauper Sky )
Veteran Chicago folk-rock poet Michael McDermott creates a community of characters who populate his fictional street , walking among them as he treads the line between the personal and the universal . These souls seek the same things as anyone drawn to such emotive roots-rock storytelling , whether it ’ s escape , love , hope , redemption , justice , or inner peace . By the end of the album , those coveted prizes haven ’ t all been secured , but the dreams burn brightly . The effervescent pop of “ Where the Light Gets In ” reminds listeners to trust their own resilience when things seem otherwise vulnerable and hopeless . “ Remember the wound is where the light gets in ,” sings McDermott . If anything unites the lives of the residents on St . Paul ’ s Boulevard , it ’ s the sense that luck has run a little short but there ’ s a chance that things could move in a better direction with just the right push . “ Feels like my future ’ s in the rear-view mirror ,” sings McDermott in “ Sick of This Town .” The song isn ’ t hiding any sentimental feelings about too-familiar surroundings in decline . McDermott ’ s anthemic melody spills over with genuine frustration and wanderlust , dreaming of greener grass in new pastures . Still , there ’ s a sense that things are the same everywhere and the problem may really lie within the character himself . The song ’ s rootsy pop is fueled by a mandolin and ignited by a lively slide guitar solo . The title track “ St . Paul ’ s Boulevard ” offers a string of tragic character sketches told by someone who ’ s finally got his ticket out and isn ’ t looking back . “ Pack the Car ” echoes the sentiment with a more optimistic mood as a couple begins to break through ennui and seek escape to someplace that feels vibrant and alive just because it ’ s different . The propulsive “ The Outer Drive ” echoes Fleetwood Mac and Dire Straits witha string of urban characters bouncing off the walls in their Chicago surroundings , feeling stuck and seeking a way out . “ People get the lives they settle for ,” says one character , determined to make a change . These people may not take comfort in their environment , but they build the worlds that they need with each other – or wrestle to keep it from crumbling . The swaying “ Meet Me Halfway ” finds McDermott working to break the tension in a relationship too valuable to throw away . “ Your love is a minefield ,” McDermott admits at the song ’ s emotive crescendo . “ You ’ re leaving signs everywhere in a language I don ’ t understand .” “ New Year ’ s Day ” seeks to sweep away the mistakes of the past and declare a fresh start . “ Marlowe ” is
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