Mike Simms is a singer songwriter from Sheffield, a city in God’s Own County in England. For those of you who are attracted by the type of music Prog Archives still calls “crossover prog”, you will be interested in the fact that he has supported Mike & the Mechanics, who will not have substandard artists on the bill.

I was introduced to Mike’s music by his father, John, who is a DJ colleague of mine on Progzilla Radio, and someone with a deep knowledge and love of a range of music, clearly imbued in his son.

Take a trip to Bandcamp at https://mikesimms.bandcamp.com/ and you will see a selection of releases, and I have rather enjoyed listening to them all, especially the concept of a man, his guitar, recording music in his garage (The Wooden House) in one take. A satisfying and, to me, comforting counterpoint to much of the overproduced pulp you hear on most commercial stations.

Simms’s latest EP is Blue Sky, four original pieces released in August. Let’s discuss and play some of this music.

We open with Nothing Sweeter.  Lyrically, reminiscent of my younger days with the sheer joy of Mr Blue Sky, that ELO classic, a feeling of joy welcoming a gorgeous warm day, something very much in short supply here in West Wales this time of year. Immediately, the acoustic guitar is rich, the bass melody urgent with some distinct fusion sensibilities, and the main riff pleasing. Simms has an expressive voice, describing the love for his partner, the place where she is the sweetest, appealing to the incurable romantic within me. A very strong start which is embedded below for you to enjoy.

Perfectly Mine continues the lovely homage to love, “the world’s not perfect, but tonight you’re perfectly mine”, reminding us that ignoring the noise and nastiness of modern life online, especially, and remembering that life is, in fact, joyful, especially spending a day with your perfect other. It is a joyful jig, the beat relentlessly cheering, some nice soundscapes created on the synths, bright guitar riff, some of the core pastoral sound reminding me of Merry Hell, a massive favourite in the Lazland household, the insistence that we are better than miserabilism. Gloriously catchy.

Don’t Wake Me Up continues the state of bliss, the waking dream of happiness, and it can’t end. I like the piano on this, a melody which has some complexity to it in terms of the contrast to the main vocal, which is pitch perfect, as is the guitar solo a minute from the close. It is also embedded below.

We close with Want You Here, an interesting discourse on a special person met on a Friday night out, but gone without the opportunity to develop something further, wanting her back to explore. There is a nice hint of Americana influence in this, the story a pure roots delight of something coming from life experience, the guitar work bluesy and deeply satisfying.

Blue Sky is a most enjoyable introduction for me to this talented artist’s work and is highly recommended to you.