"Mikah Sykes unique country, [Mississippi] delta, and Brazilian classical guitar
fingerpicking style is a rarity that is not to be missed. This local
guy has got talent beyond belief. So much so that John Frusciante of
Red Hot Chili Peppers fame asked Sykes to record in his Los Angeles
home studio (Frusciante backs up Sykes' guitar ..boards and
guitar) after seeing him play a set in Eugene"
- Willamette Week, May 25th 2005"
I don't think the universe rewards a good deed, and I'm not even sure that love is always the answer. That said, the way Mikah Sykes' childlike voice meets his folk-blues finger-picking and promenades around a track is pretty damn adorable, hippie-ish or not. Sykes' tendency toward spacey experimentation is tethered by his deep love of the blues, which brings a familiarity and structure to his work that makes it feel like home. For a guy who recorded his last album in John Frusciante's living room, he has stayed one of Portland's better-kept secrets..but I doubt that'll last long."
- Willamette Week, January 3rd-9th, 2007
"Folk dude Mikah Sykes fits somewhere between Iron and Wine and early Bright Eyes. There's also some tremulous Sufjan Stevens instrumentation, guitar that feels a bit like Joanna Newsom's harp, and some kiddie-ish Daniel Johnson vocals. Not to get all reference crazy up in your grill, but sometimes when the shoe fits you've got to go jogging and get some excersice. (I don't know what I am talking about either.) Oz St. Fossils is straight up New Weird America old-timey. Straight-UP. This show will folk you up so good and you'll love it."
- The Portland Mercury, December 21-27 2006
Who wouldn’t want to visit a show by the Brunettes after having a look at their singer Heather Mansfield? Too many people it seems, but those didn’t have to suffer through the rather boring opening act Mikah Sykes. Alt country is all good and nice, but when I heard that Mr Sykes sounds a lot like Iron And Wine, I was already rather terrified. But things turned worse with his lethargic ballads and whining voice. Furthermore the complete lack of speed and dynamics made me want to slit my wrist. After twenty minutes of this sonic torture, I had to continue downstairs drinking beer. Sykes is a talented guitar player but should learn the lesson that not that many people enjoy this kind of dreary balladry.
-Kathy McCarty - Dead Dog's Eyeball
"i would not" live @ la casa 139 in milano IT
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"Atlantic2" Mikah Sykes
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