Mk.Gee’s Latest Work Sounds Better on Stage Than it Does On The Album
Michael Todd Gordon, known as Mk.gee, has been making waves in the indie scene with his latest release, "Two Star and the Dream Police." Often referred to as “your favorite artist’s favorite artist,” Gordon has further cemented himself as a pillar in the lo-fi indie music scene.
There’s a barrier for entry though, as even some longtime fans take a few listens to really let the songs soak in, and many prefer live performances to the original album.
Although Gordon’s been releasing EPs and mixtapes since 2017, even landing a track on Frank Ocean’s Blonded Radio, many people first encountered him in 2021 as Dijon’s wiry, wild-haired guitarist. In a live performance of Dijon’s debut album, “Absolutely,” the pair play off one another in conspiratorial glee, Dijon in his olive fishing vest and Gordon with his ’60s-issue Fender Jaguar, both bounding about a gear-strewn dining room with childlike awe, howling and harmonizing and clapping until they can hardly stand up straight.
Before Dijon met Gordon, the Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter’s brand of guitar-backed R&B was charming but safe, a collection of Blonde-lite songs that didn’t always extend past emulation. Gordon, however, offered Dijon a new rhythmic architecture, and freedom, to channel his gifts. “The real spirit of the record came when I formally met Mike,” Dijon recalled in a 2022 interview. Absolutely marked a significant leap for Dijon’s music, and he credited Gordon as an invaluable catalyst. “I think he might be creating or transmitting from an alien planet,” Dijon said in another interview. “It feels like this is the first music I’ve ever made.”
And it goes both ways. This is perhaps Dijon’s most obvious influence; before Two Star, Mk.gee was a tepid vocalist, but here he belts, coos, and moans with soulful, skin-tingling skill. And though the album has no obvious narrative, the oblique songwriting doesn’t detract from Gordon’s raging emotions. He’s desperate to be seen and to see, to stop hiding from the hard stuff and give himself to someone or something else, to embody a sense of self that feels safe and sustainable, at least for a little while.
While the album’s production and performances are nothing short of incredible, his album received a significant boost in popularity after a viral appearance on Jimmy Kimmel. Imperfections, like his cracked voice and slightly out-of-tune guitar, enhance the potency of his performance. Amidst the backdrop of moody lighting, the haunting melody of a soprano saxophone adds to the surreal, ethereal ambiance. Fans cite this as their favorite rendition of the song, by far.
Even fan covers of these songs prove to be more moving than the original record, as fans sing “Candy” and “Are You Looking Up” in reverb-drenched tiled bathrooms, window sills and stairwells, usually captioning their post along the lines of “this took so many takes”
Whether it's the impact of overproduction on the album's emotional resonance or the allure of live music surpassing recorded tracks, there's an undeniable draw to the rawness and authenticity of live performances. Given the inherently organic and unfiltered nature of Mk.gee's music, it naturally lends itself to the nuanced intricacies of live instrumentation.
While fans may yearn for a live album from him, it's perhaps unlikely in today's musical landscape, where such releases have fallen out of favor. The next best thing is to attend a live show yourself.
With a diverse array of genres everywhere from indie-pop to death rock, people interested in finding new local music need not go further than their nearest venue to discover their new favorite band. There are countless talented artists in the Seattle area, all of which deserve to be listened to and talked about. While this article can’t list them all, it will give you a head start on highlighting a few to get your feet on the ground.