Muse Chronicle

Mike Shouse has been through the wringer. After 15 years away from releasing music, the Jackson, Kentucky, guitarist is back with “Jaded.” Between dealing with a house fire, a breakup, and everything Covid threw at musicians, Shouse spent those years really digging into his creation. This isn’t someone rushing to get back in the game, but an artist who took the time to get it right.

“Sometimes life strips everything away just to show you what you’re really made of, and what emerges from those ashes often surprises everyone, including yourself.”

The album kicks off with “(Prelude) Romeo and Juliet,” which sets up the emotional framework for everything that follows. From there, tracks like “Romeo Is Gone” and “A Bitter Cold” explore the aftermath of loss and disappointment, while “Let’s Go” and “Smiley Faced Emoji” inject moments of hope and even humor into the mix. One minute you’re feeling optimistic and uplifted, the next you’re hit with this underlying sense of melancholy or uncertainty. It mirrors real life in a way that’s almost unsettling because that’s exactly how emotions actually work. They don’t stay in neat little boxes, and neither does this music. “Memoriam” takes things in a more reflective direction. And “Upon Looking Back” serves as a perfect closer, providing resolution while acknowledging that some questions don’t have easy answers.

Shouse has got this interesting way of mixing major and minor keys that keeps you guessing where the song’s headed next. It’s complex stuff, but it never feels like he’s showing off just to show off; every change serves a purpose. The production on this album sits exactly where it should in the mix. This isn’t just another rock record trying to show off technical chops for the sake of it. The album’s flow is another strong point. While each track can stand on its own, they work well together to create an essential listening experience.

Shouse has created something genuinely worthwhile here. “Jaded” doesn’t try to make grand statements about the state of the world. It takes one person’s specific experiences and evolves them into something that can speak to anyone who’s ever had to pick themselves up and figure out how to move forward. This is the kind of album that reminds you why the genre of rock can be so powerful when done right. When it’s not just about showing off, but about communicating something real and important through the language of music itself.

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