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.
SOUNDCLOUD: https://soundcloud.com/user-271952191
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
