8Tracks Review: “Back in the Game” Single by Meiko

Someone’s waiting there for me; I know it

Meiko released “Back in the Game” March 16.  “I wrote this song as a ‘going-out anthem’ for the broken-hearted,” she writes on her website.  You know: brush your knees off, get back in there and kick some ass!”

I don’t really care if you believe it

It’s been a while since I last checked in with Meiko (she pronounces it “Meeko”) and I regretted my being out of touch within five seconds of hitting play on my first spin.  The lyrics are positive, but the tune has a dark, echoey, I-may-be-lost-in-a-parking-structure vibe I totally love.  Block out the vocals and you’d feel pretty confident guessing this is a Raveonettes song.

The chanting quality of the chorus goes really nicely with the droning rhythm, and I dig the nice color added by the strumming acoustic and those nice electric guitar fills.  The build-up at the end, especially where Meiko turns her vocals up and out rather than down and in, gives the song a final, uplifting momentum.  No Raveonettes feeling at the end for sure.

I’m back in the game

Who doesn’t love Meiko’s voice?  Add this track to your why-am-I-still-up? playlist.  It’ll make you keenly aware of the loneliness of insomnia but it’ll make you feel like it’ll be okay in the morning, if morning ever gets here.

So let’s play

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also, this wonderful cover of the Cranberries’ “Zombie.”  Meiko says she’s releasing a covers album this summer, and this is going to be on it.