Spike releasing album ‘Totem’ 6/12/2017

Solely digital release of Totem via CDBaby to streaming services and Bandcamp.

A young Matthew Pike, known to his friends as Spike, set in his sites the aspiration of conceiving, executing and completing a solo album. The inspiration, in fact, being the discovery of Queen.

A good many seasons later, this TOTEM is about to become a thing.

With the assistance of Nick Granville on guitar and Jacob Randall on the drums, they essentially create a 3 piece rock band foundation, over which Spike lays out his finely balanced point of view, utilising an extremely versatile vocal range.

Indulging your inner child comes recommended. Spike is thrilled to present these songs! Since setting those sights on hedonistic rock n roll glory, he has often been a sought-after performer in the professional musical scene since the early 90s. An international career in blockbuster musicals is primarily what has kept him so long!

Obviously, the time is now. Spike is manifest so some fun can be had, and songs can ring true.

The album begins with Paradise, a bright sunny quasi-reggae song, it then veers quite naturally into the heavy funk groove of Eureka that steadily rises to a fever pitch. The heart of the work is the bittersweet and subdued Labyrinth, that is followed up by the equally profound but more rhythmically driven Revolution. The finale is the celebratory cry of Freedom, with a swaggering rock feel and an interesting twist or 2. All in all, its 22 odd minutes of engaging and inspired music. Perhaps it would be better termed as an EP given that length, but this playing is by no means extended. It is a concise and dynamic work, with a compelling narrative examining the power of the present.

http://www.pike.kiwi/