Review: Michalis Patterson balances dark, light on ‘Recycled Experiences’

Published 12:00 am Thursday, June 7, 2018

Bend songwriter Michalis Patterson toured the world before his 21st birthday. He’s visited 13 countries in the last four years, including New Zealand, Romania, Italy, Costa Rica, the UK and perhaps most memorably Israel and Jordan, where he raised funds to help build businesses for Bedouin refugees escaping conflict in Syria and Iraq. He’s been back in his native Bend for the last four months — the longest he’s stayed home since he began touring the world — but is gearing up for more traveling (back to Italy, Sicily and London for three months starting in September) to follow the release of his second studio album, “Recycled Experiences,” at a show at Volcanic Theatre Pub on June 14.

Recorded and co-produced with Dan Larsson, bassist for Bend Beatles cover trio JuJu Eyeball, “Recycled Experiences” finds Patterson tackling addiction and depression, two topics that are close to home for him — he often performs at clinics, and has lost three friends to suicide, as he explained to GO! Magazine recently. Album centerpiece “Picture Perfect World” crystallizes the frustration that comes with trying to find help for mental illness, while “Bullet in the Chamber” goes even darker, with Patterson taking a third-person look at suicide. But closing ballad “Every Shadow Has a Light” pulls it all together, wrapping up the darkness of the previous half-hour with a hopeful message.

The album’s music matches the often dark subject matter, with Patterson utilizing the tried-and-true, quiet-loud formula to great effect on barreling rockers “Abuse My Trust” and “Drifter.” Larsson and Patterson keep the production dry and sparse, putting the focus on Patterson’s guitar work — there are some wild sounds that jump out at you in headphones, especially on “Weightless” — and his gruff, older-than-his-years voice, which at times brings to mind a young Scott Weiland.

Michalis Patterson CD release party: 8 p.m. June 14; free; Volcanic Theatre Pub, 70 SW Century Drive, Bend, volcanictheatre.com.

— Brian McElhiney, The Bulletin