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AAA Music - This Town (Single)
"the understated gentle beauty of the song and the catchy yet meaningful lyrics make any attempt by Coldplay to touch those among us who do bravely accept the onset of an age upwards of 27 look like cynical 90s Disney twaddle."
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Music Eyz - This Town (Single)
"knocks on the doors of every man’s nostalgia for home"
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Music News - Man on the Ground (album)
"The further you travel through this album, the more beautiful the songs become"
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Unpeeled - Man on the Ground (album)
"Sly and engaging fills, a cogent and compelling lyrical thread"
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Sounds XP - Man on the Ground (album)
" Man On The Ground has been a constant and welcome companion during the grey, bleak January commutes. I suggest you take it on a journey with you too."
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Stereoboard - Man on the Ground (album)
"a subtle sounding, heartfelt record that is an absolute pleasure to listen to."
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Soundblab - This Town (Single)
"Jarvis Cocker-esque lyrical wordplay and a slash of humour which shows Marlin may have plenty of strings to his bow to showcase when he comes to a town near you."
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BBM Live - This Town (single)
" a slow burner, in keeping with Mike's slow ascent to pop chart recognition"
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Grumpy Rocker - Nearly Man (Records of the Year 2011)
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Losing Today - The Magician (single)
"One to be filed under the ‘brooding beauty’ section of your record collection, for this little nugget is possessed of a darkly absorbing persona that recalls the less immediate twee stroked moments of Baby Bird’s back catalogue..."
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Altsounds - The Magician (single)
"Should you hear it for yourself there would be no need for me to wax lyrical about how reflective, emotive and charming it really is."
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Mudkiss - The Magician (gig)
"I left feeling as if I had been privy to the highs and lows of Mike’s life in a engaging and intimate evening"
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Off The Radar - The Magician (Single)
"Absolutely lovely track that I've played over and over since I got it. He's got an amazing voice with real heartfelt emotions"
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Flush The Fashion - The Magician (Gig)
"Listen to his lyrics and its clear here is a man who wears his heart on his sleeve, surrenders his emotions to the listener completely. After spending an evening in his company anyone would wish him every success for this release"
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Whisperin' And Hollerin' - The Magician (Single)
"There's no smoke and mirrors, deception or trickery: Marlin's all about quality songwriting, but the fuller arrangement and the epic chorus is the perfect foil for his grizzly delivery."
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Unpeeled - The Magician (Single)
"SOUNDS LIKE? Stylish and inventive aor. Yes, that's an oxymoron held hostage, but Mike Marlin blends an English late seventies with an American mid eighties, all the better to magpie nick and mix Bowie and Frank Black, to name just two from a large cast, and all to make something that's distinctively Mike Marlin.
IS IT ANY GOOD? Yes, the man is lyrically sharp and generally dark, the music is a little like a Monty Python script, it bangs straight in, easy and accessible, further exposure throws up new treats. So, go treat yourself."
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Grumpy Rocker - Nearly Man (Album)
"a rich treasure trove and so wonderfully creative..."
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Southsonic - No Place Like Home (Single)
"‘No Place Like Home’ is quirky, catchy and completely unique and Mike Marlin's style is genius."
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Tasty Fanzine - No Place Like Home (Single)
"Another impressive outing from the consistent Mike Marlin"
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Whisperin' & Hollerin' - Nearly Man (Album)
"A burly bearded guy with tinted glasses makes an unlikely pop star but the ingredients for his fifteen minutes of fame are in place."
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Shout 4 Music - Nearly Man (Album)
"there’s no grand showboating here, only assured and humble sentiments delivered with flair."
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Just Press Play - Nearly Man (Album)
"Marlin isn’t stuck in a stasis from thirty years prior, but the touch of his inspirations is evident"
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Buzzin' Music - Nearly Man (Album)
"Mike Marlin certainly oozes with a seductive quality, which kept me hooked."
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Call Upon The Author - Nearly Man (Album)
"The only difficulty with this album is picking out a highlight: because it’s great. It’s like Mike Marlin has had a little scan over all that’s good in music and chucked it together to create something new"
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Gays.co.uk - Interview/Live review
"His performance at the launch was absurdly fantastic. His deadpan, ultra cool delivery is enough to ingratiate him into the punk periphery and a sufficiently chiselled and talented backing band brings enough yoof to proceedings to spotlight his originality rather than eclipse it."
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Southsonic - Nearly Man (Album)
"...the songs are frequently wonderful. ...It warms the soul."
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Room 13 - Interview
"It was a truly refreshing experience to meet an artist with so much to say and with so much talent to back it up"
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Music-News.com - Nearly Man (Album)
"his striking baritone...is a cross between David Bowie and Damon Albarn, and like those two, this music is very British"
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Bearded Magazine - Nearly Man (Album)
"...melodic, and unashamedly hooky. There’s no shortage of big choruses and hummable bits here."
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Subba Cultcha - Nearly Man (Album)
"The album as a whole happily sitting say amongst Bowie’s 70’s records a la Diamond Dogs, all saxophones, keyboards and reflection."
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WohoMusic - Nearly Man (Album)
"...if you know what’s good for you, buy this album and discover for yourself why people are sitting up and taking notice of a man who has put in the time, effort, sweat and tears to get where he is now. You won’t be disappointed."
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Unpeeled - Nearly Man (Album)
"Okay people, this is what we're going to do... We are, and you're going to love this, drag 'Diamond Dogs' into the 21st century. Bowie is fired and some kind of home counties Jarvis Cocker is hired to dicker with Frank Black, a man who looks nothing like Mick Ronson.
IS IT ANY GOOD? I absolutely love "Nearly Man", any man who can manage a chemically assisted drawl of lines like "pass me my gun, I wanna have some fun in the basement" while teeny trolls do the la,la,la chorus deserves the acclaim almost as much as he needs the treatment."
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Tasty Fanzine - Nearly Man (Album)
"I think Mike Marlin has a secret or two behind that disingenuous beard and specs : he was actually a member of Kula Shaker, or the Cooper Temple Clause, or perhaps even Tin Machine..."
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Shout 4 Music - Nearly Man (Album)
"...classic English songwriting in progress, and ‘Nearly Man’ is further evidence for the prosecution."
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Red Hot Velvet - Nearly Man (Album)
"You'll like this if you want to be one of the first people to see the birth of a star without a telescope. "
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Music OMH - Nearly Man (Album)
"...lyrically astute, musically measured and quintessentially English introspections..."
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Get Ready To Rock - Nearly Man (Album)
"...steeped in the pop sensibilities of Bowie's blue eyed soul to Berlin period and the more recent singer songwriter output of Damien Gough / Badly Drawn Boy. That's a fairly potent combination, "
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Whisperin' & Hollerin' - Play That Game (Single)
"...it's a quirky affair. Marlin's grizzly baritone sounds like Chris Rea if he was cooler."
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Red Hot Velvet - Play That Game (Single)
"Sounds like: Scissor Sisters if they were crooners on heavy skunk"
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UK Music Review - Play That Game (Single)
"...a double whammy of classic British pop tunes"
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South Sonic - Play That Game (Single)
"... makes you want to get up and dance."
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Aberdeen Student Radio - Play That Game (Single)
"... fun and infectious, while still remaining substantial."
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Shout For Music - Play That Game (Single)
"...classic English songwriting"
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Contact Music - Stayin' Alive (Single)
"Rich with texture, deep and smooth with warmth and age..."
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The Music Fix - Stayin' Alive (Single)
"...Pink Floyd running riot in a jazz club"
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Shout For Music - Stayin' Alive (Single)
"...oozes a peculiar charm, which disturbs as much as it entertains"
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