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"Song for Friendship" featured on NPR's All Songs Considered: Open Mic!"Twice as depressing as Bright Eyes." --Jim Testa, Jersey Beat Largehearted Boy http://blog.largeheartedboy.com Daily Downloads: 8/13/05 Every now and then, the stars align when someone sends me their music and asks for a plug. Mike Ferraro sent a seemingly innocuous e-mail, then mentioned he was friends with Ned (aka "No Love For"), and had recorded a cover of Guided By Voices' "Awful Bliss." My curiosity was aroused, then he said that the wonderful net label (disguised as a blog) A Bunch of Beatniks had released one of his EPs. That put him to the top of my ever-growing "to-listen" pile. Ferraro's minimal guitar-pop is fueled by his honest lyricism, and the music breathed some fresh air into my afternoon. --David Gutowski Is This Music?, Issue #14 pp.8 "LOVERS ONLY LOVE" 3.5/4 rating "A perfect pop formula." --Bernhard Bessing Music Underwater www.musicunderwater.com featured review: (8.5/10) Mmm, the sweet taste of indie pop. Everyone loves it. There's nothing better than a catchy guitar hook or a chorus that just screams to be accompanied by your amateur voice. You know who I'm talking about--Beulah, Neutral Milk Hotel, Ted Leo & The Pharmacists, The Unicorns & co. This is the best music; the stuff that doesn't require you to be a pondering pseudo-intellectual or an indie hipster to be enjoyed. People don't want to hear Efrim Menuck and his buddies go on twenty minute orchestral jams just so he can show you how anti-mainstream he is; people want music they can hum on their way to work, dammit. Keeping that in mind, enter Mike Ferraro...His songs are full of unbearably catchy pop hooks, wonderful melodies and a heartfelt intensity. "Lovers Only Love" is the catchiest song I've heard in ages...instantly enjoyable and unbelievably catchy...Most of his music is available free/cheap on his website, so what do you have to lose? The five minutes you spend could help you discover a new favorite artist or a release to look forward to in the next year or so. Cheers, Mike! --Jeremy Cohen Atomicduster, Issue 31 www.atomicduster.com T: Although the artist himself describes his music as "a little bit early Dylan, a little bit Jeff Mangum and a little bit Lou Barlow", I have to say that the one comparison that sprung instantly to my mind as the opening track began was that of Frank Black's work with the Catholics. I can also tell, by my new found psychic talents, that I agree with the reference you're about to make too... N: Possessing a tinge of the Lemonheads by the opening track, that sort of college rock field spirit can be seen here. By the time we hit "Baby Brother", track two, this pace knocks off to a confident and more insightful one. Certainly for older listeners, and I can certainly see student bedsits being filled with Mike's melodies and vocal strains. 8/10 --Nick Adams and Tone E Think Small www.thinksmall.nl "Three tracks of classic indie-pop." --Martijn Grooten Oz Beat Music www.ozbeatmusic.com OZ Beat was started to feature a diverse group of artists (fuck genres) creating Music That Matters. Never did we expect to find such a diversity of talent within one individual. Mike Ferraro is writing exceptional music and lyrics. The presentation of his music is simply stunning. We hear a lot of gifted new musicians at OZ Beat. We can’t think of anybody better to be our first new featured artist of 2005. --Dem Hopkins Vanity Project #13 www.vanityproject.co.uk ‘Lovers Only Love’ is wrapped in just over 2 minutes, very unfussilly, but with sufficient quirk to suggest that you don’t need to go over the top to bring a contemporary freshness to the singer/songwriter thing. --Skif Channel 4 (UK) Teletext Planet Sound –- New Indie (Indigo) New Demo 'DEMO OF THE WEEK' featured review: 4/5 stars "A UK listener recommended I get in touch," says New Jersey-based Ferraro. Thanks to whoever gave us props, as this is blimmin' ace. Traditional summery melodies whose lineage can be traced back from Ben Kweller via The Shins to Evan Dando, it's surprising that Ferraro hasn't yet been picked up on by a British label. Music this sweet is universal. --John Earls
Jersey Beat, Fall '04 www.jerseybeat.com An engagingly nice and upbeat 3-song serving of tight'n'tuneful singer-songwriter folk-pop done with a winning surplus of delicate melodicism and low-key thoughtfulness. Mike Ferraro's endearingly slight and nasal vocals radiate an utterly likeable blend of laidback charm and delicate wide-open sensitivity. The sweetly harmonic arrangements, tastefully filled out by gently strummed acoustic guitar, cool rippin' Casio keyboards, and subdued, yet steady drums, really hit the soothing sonic spot with dead-on sonority and accuracy. Possessing all the warmth and appeal of a fine fall day, this nifty little item sizes up as a disarmingly modest, but surefire winner. --Joe Wawyrzniak Shmat Records www.shmat.com Great melodies on "Song For Friendship" which at times reminded me of Earlimart or Heatmiser. "Yesterday Was A Burning Plane" is an interesting half speed song with distorted guitar leading the charge through drony Sebadoh-like ambiance. The disc rounds out with a fun spot-on cover of GBV's "Awful Bliss" from Bee Thousand, one of my favorite albums of all time. --Shorty Smother.net www.smother.net With synths (Casios no less!) fused alongside his guitar based indie sound, Mike Ferraro is one artist that’s sure to emerge from the bubble. Impressive short demo--let’s hear a full length. --J-Sin
No Front Teeth www.NoFrontTeeth.co.uk 3 tracks of pleasurably minimal acoustic folk/rock. Very atmospheric and instantly reminisces Bob Dylan and Neil Young, but it’s not as obvious as that. This is more gritty and on the punk rock side of the fence. It’s definitely got a hint of Vic Ruggiero’s solo acoustic stuff too…very honest, very exposed. I have a lot of time for this stuff…especially when it’s so sincere. --Marco NFT
'Jersey Independent Music' a Weblog by Tris McCall on NJ.com Thursday, August 19, 2004 entry from the review: "Ferraro's acoustic guitar playing is tense, precise, and tightly locked in with the vocals. The interlocking six-string performances on "Baby Brother" are quietly accomplished. When strumming, Ferraro keeps his instrument under firm control -- but it's when he picks that 'Mike Ferraro' takes on its starkest, coolest, and most attractive quality." --TM
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