Monday, February 18, 2019

Hughie Mac releases “Let’s Get Away” Single



The swaggering piano that drives “Let’s Get Away,” the new single from the incomparable Hughie Mac, marches along with a bass-heavy tonality that wants to shake us to the very core of our souls, but it isn’t alone in its daring pursuit of our affections. Lightly-struck cymbals adorn a modest drumming that frames the piano keys with a simple rhythm that instantly takes us back to the glorious days of big band and bop. Mac’s singing is, of course, the most visible strand of melodic might that we’ll come in contact within this single, but it’s unquestionably bolstered by the magnificent band supporting its grandiosity. “Let’s Get Away” is a take on “Let’s Get Away from It All,” the Frank Sinatra staple song, but what makes it much more special and significant than any other cover I’ve reviewed in 2019 is its modern, ultra-high definition texture, that literally draws us into a smoke-filled nightclub where Hughie Mac reigns supreme over the audience. This is Mac at his finest yet, and though it’s only one cut from his incredible album Hughie Mac Sings Some Great Songs, Pt. 3, it could very well be the record’s signature single.


From a critical standpoint, the swinging tempo is the main source of catharsis in “Let’s Get Away,” but it doesn’t stick out in the master mix as the primary cosmetic feature designed to grab our attention from the get-go. Mac’s vocal rouses our awareness of the contrasting rhythm lying just beneath the surface of the piano play; the vibrations in the bass warm up the cold, stoic percussive elements and set the mood for the chorus, which is where the groovy sway takes the main stage beside Mac and rocks us with its rollicking beat.


 If it sounds like a complex number, that’s because it definitely is – I’m quite impressed with the way that Hughie Mac took this song apart piece by piece and reconstructed it to suit his palate without sacrificing any of the original’s most alluring charms. I’ve never been the biggest supporter of covering material as iconic as this particular track is, but as far as I’m concerned, Hughie Mac is one of the only artists exceptional enough to give it the justice that it really deserves.

This single, along with the whole of Hughie Mac Sings Some Great Songs, Pt. 3, represents some of the most sincere pop music that you’re going to come across this winter and well into the rest of 2019, and though he’s made amazing music before this release, Mac has never been quite as on top of his game as he is in “Let’s Get Away.” The sensuous vibe of danger skewed with a swaggering confidence that the Rat Pack made famous well over a half century ago is alive and well in this song, and through Hughie Mac a new generation of listeners who would have never had access to this legendary passage from the American songbook will come to understand why it’s as treasured by critics and elders as it is. This is premium pop music from a purebred original.


Mindy McCall