Reviewed by Aaron Cloutier
Gentle strums of acoustic guitar, blended with rich strings, flute and a vocal delivery reminiscent of Cat Stevens are the hallmarks of “Soldier Boy” by singer songwriter Mick J. Clark. All the key pieces of traditional folk songwriting are represented here to great effect.
In “Soldier Boy” Clark touches on themes of duty, honor, and commitment as he draws inspiration from the subject of the lone soldier as the title suggests. In his own words he says the song is a dedication “To all the Soldiers that have done, still do and will always, protect this Country.”
This theme is depicted throughout but in my opinion is best described in lyrics such as..
“In the dead of night its only right that you think of home, say a prayer for good luck for tomorrow is the great unknown. Be the best I know I can, pass the test to be a man, Be a leader to the men, hope my rifle doesn’t jam, then our destiny will be on and on to victory,”
Using sparse percussion throughout the song, the rhythm is slow, yet driving as Clark demonstrates his strong sense of pocket as he strums to a lone snare drum. No doubt bringing some symbolic imagery of a soldier leading the charge in a drum and fife duo to the piece.
My ears perked up with glee when towards the third verse, I heard the song’s key changed from C major to A major. As a music teacher and overall music nerd, it was a nice surprise to hear this modulation which showcases Clark's composition skills.
Overall, “Soldier Boy” has everything that makes a mighty contender in the realm of contemporary folk music. If you’re a fan, I think you’ll find this to be a welcomed addition to your library of patriotic songs.
About Mick Clark
Mick J. Clark is a singer/songwriter. who was signed to the Sonorus Record Label with ‘There’s Nothing Anybody Can Do’ The song garnished 40.000 streams. Mick has written over 60 songs, of which 40 are being played by Emerge Music in shops. He has two songs on the album, ‘Goa Chillout Zone Vol 9’ which reached No 1 in the iTunes Electronic Chart, thanks to Singer/Songwriter/ producer Oliver Sean. He has played on many Radio Stations and has put out three Albums and three E.Ps, called ’Notes 1, 2,3,4,5 and 6, Rock, Ballads, R&B, Dance, Latin and Country. Last year, Mick had half a million streams with his summer hit, ‘Anuther Sunny Hulliday’ ( complete with a ‘Parrot Dance’ :-), getting over 100,000 streams and his Christmas E.P and over 200,000 streams on three of his Christmas songs. Stream Mick's music on Spotify