EP Premiere: 'Lost in the Wild' of Ireland’s Folk Scene with Mitch McAteer's Debut

Irish singer/songwriter Mitch McAteer emerges with a raw folk rock sound in his intimate and woodsy debut EP, ‘Lost in the Wild’.

‘Lost in the Wild’ EP – Mitch McAteer

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Mitch McAteer has a voice well beyond his years. Lost in the Wild, McAteer’s debut EP, tangles with his experiences with isolation out in the Irish countryside. Recorded over the course of just four days, the urgency in this EP ties each of its four tracks together.

Atwood Magazine is proud to be premiering Mitch McAteer’s Lost in the Wild EP, independently out May 17. Although he’s just 21 years old, McAteer’s gravelly voice is akin to a much more seasoned sound, reminiscent of Caamp and Nathaniel Rateliff. McAteer balances the rawness of the vocals exceptionally well, considering his songs were recorded live and with minimal production. His dedication to authenticity goes as far as drawing on friends and family individually to play the various instruments present on the EP.

Lost in the Wild EP - Mitch McAteer — Lost in the Wild EP – Mitch McAteer

“I’m Home,” the first track on the EP, focuses intently on the time McAteer spent in the wilderness without a connection to modern society. He immediately establishes himself as a force in the folk landscape, leveraging his subtle Irish accent to command his more woodsy, earthen side. With countless songs tackling the same subject (often with similar titles), McAteer sets himself apart by maintaining emotion and freshness through the track’s daring six minutes.

Conversely, “She Drinks Like Me” has country elements that sound like they’ve taken decades – not days – to perfect. His range comes to light here, dancing between moments of modern folk and Paul Westerberg-sounding rock.

The title track of the EP dives more into a darker exhibition of feelings, with a striking chorus that takes a more somber approach.

Closing out the EP is the leadoff single, “I Hate That I Love You.” Throughout Lost in the Wild, McAteer carefully toes the line with potentially cliché tropes, but consistently makes them his own through the legitimacy of his expression:

When I’m alone and lost in this world
I think about you girl.
And each that I play,
when a dark day is through.
I sing out for you.

Sometimes it’s anger and
sometimes I want a way back,
To the love we once had
but I know it’s not simple like that.
And it all falls down,
with everything that I do,
‘cause darling I hate that
I love you but I don’t hate you
Darling I hate that I love you
but I don’t hate you

The simplicity of the lyrics lend themselves to creativity in the vocals, as well as the space in between. Mitch McAteer will likely be a rising favorite amongst American folk rock fans, and is certainly one to see live when the opportunity arises.

Mitch McAteer’s Lost in the Wild EP is out everywhere May 17, 2019; for now, stream it exclusively on Atwood Magazine!

‘Lost in the Wild’ EP – Mitch McAteer

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