Nick Mitchell Maiato – Pino Carrasco : Album Review

Nick Mitchell Maiato lives in Valencia, Spain. The other members of One Eleven Heavy live elsewhere. According to bandmate James Toth, the average band member commute is about 2500 miles, which…eh, if you vigorously bike for ten days straight, isn’t too bad, really. If only those borders were open! If only a global pandemic… Anyway.

Nick wrote many of the songs for his debut solo record Pino Carrasco for what would have been the third album from transatlantic band One Eleven Heavy. What’s that saying about life happening when you’re making other plans? With international travel an impossibility, Nick went to work.

Nick spent several months in his apartment playing every instrument and perfecting these songs, which in itself is entirely impressive. The lyrics are clever, the music itself complex and interesting without being overly cerebral. I found myself returning to songs like the jaunty “Show Yourself” and the ripping guitar riffs of “Public Address” over and over.

Despite the circumstances under which Pino Carrasco was made, it’s a feel-good album. I love this record, and I really hope Nick gets to reunite with his bandmates soon for a tour and a record of their own, but selfishly I hope he’ll tour this record himself when the time comes.

Pino Carrasco is out on October 2nd on Wat Ist Das? and Kith & Kin. Buy it here.