EP: “The Art Of Word Play” by Mischa & His Merry Men

Misha Weston-Green is a true gentleman of the local music scene. As well as performing in his own band he is always willing to lend his abundant skills to many other musicians, which he always does with a massive amount of enthusiasm and a big smile.

Mischa along with his varied collection of Merry Men have just released a new, much anticipated EP entitled “The Art Of Word Play” which features some very clever cover artwork using a Scrabble board. The EP features four songs that have been part of Mischa’s live set for quite a while now and finally it is nice to have some studio versions that you can take home and listen to on your iPod.

The first track is an absolute corker. A clever set of lyrics featuring a brass section and some fast-played acoustic guitars telling the story of how all the music in his record collection saved his life. There are bands mentioned like Queen, Guns ‘n Roses, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, The Levellers, Nirvana and a host of other lyrical geniuses that helped Mischa sing his blues away.

“Overworked & Underpaid” tells a story of something that each and every listener can really associate with, working in a dead end job with little reward. The song has just the right measure of electric and acoustic guitars; combined with some smouldering passionately delivered vocals, that really hit the spot. “Judgement Day” continues with Mischa’s very own unique style of storytelling delivery with lyrics typically delivered from the heart.

The EP ends with little insight as to what to expect from a Mischa & His Merry Men live show. “Corrupt & Bent” live at Bournemouth’s Sixty Million Postcards provides the huge amount of energy and the unpredictable nature of what it is like to see the band live, including guest harmonica player and local legend Si Genaro. A great set of songs to own, definitely tunes that can be listened to over and over again without the slightest chance of getting bored.

Mischa has a very refreshing way of making music by constantly pushing the boundaries and challenging himself by playing with a whole host of different artists. Long may this continue and one day all this hard work may just pay off.