Captain Mike (aka Michael Goldberg) is a veteran of the Minneapolis music scene. In the past the city has launched the careers of legendary artists like; Prince, The Replacements, Hüsker Dü, and Soul Asylum. Mike has kept a lower profile over the years than some of his rockstar peers. However, he has earned a reputation with local tastemakers as an unsung hero of the Minneapolis scene with keen Alt/Pop instincts, powerful songwriting and unique tenor voice.
“Far to Go” is Captain Mike & the Totems’ new video and one half of the band’s brand new double single. The track tells an epic tale of a man on a quest to find a better day. Mike uses images of the sun, stars and ocean as a metaphor for the seemingly insurmountable task we have in 2020 of returning to normalcy. As he travels the world and weathers its storms he watches, “order and chaos collide.”
The song delivers hope, but with a healthy dose of crushing realism. With similar duality, the video combines news footage of social unrest with a bit of fun. In the short film, Mike and guitarist/producer Jonny Herchert portray time traveling bounty hunters (armed only with guitars). Their mission is to apprehend the “sinister villain,” Donald J. Trump.
Musically, “Far to Go” is a hook-heavy stew of popular musical styles. The track opens with a Lo-Fi, Alt-Pop acoustic guitar and vocal intro. As the song progresses Captain Mike & The Totems weave Classic Rock guitar riffs together with Beatle-esque harmonies and flashes of psychedelia. The song is a ton of fun to listen to. Like the waves Mike battles on his epic journey, the track ebbs and flows in intensity.
The mix continues to build until it breaks down to a mellow acoustic bridge that brings to mind the solo work of fellow Minneapolis songwriting genius, Paul Westerberg. From there, Mike’s powerful and soulful vocal trades riffs with Jonny’s smoking lead guitar. As a nice cherry on top, the band ends the track with a Wings-worthy vocal harmony.
Check out the video for “Far to Go,” above and listen to the song on the Deep Indie Dive playlist. Follow the links below to connect with Captain Mike & the Totems.
Connect:
Captain Mike & The Totems on the Deep Indie Dive playlist
