​PK Mayo (from the album Simple Search for Truth

​PK Mayo (from the album Simple Search for Truth available as a self-release) (by Lee Zimmerman)
 
Given a title like Simple Search for Truth, one might expect some sort of revelatory statement. Yet names can be deceiving. In fact, Mayo’s own handle serves as a nom de plume, given the fact he was born one Paul K. Mayasich.  Based in the midwestern environs of Minneapolis/St. Paul, PK Mayo plied his skills for the better part of three decades, but also makes it a point to proclaim his new album as the most fully realized effort of his career.
 
That said, the new album offers a lesson in basic Blues, driven by Mayo’s stellar slide guitar riffs and the steady support of a band that includes John Wright on bass, Steve Lehto on second guitar and mandolin, and Noah Levy playing drums and percussion. Certain songs — “Blues and Me”, “It Ain’t Workin’ for Me No More”, “Truth”, and the instrumental outlay “You Don’t Know Jack” — adhere to that bluesy template, given a simple shuffle and a regimented workout that rocks with deep resolve. However, the more intriguing offerings come in the form of those numbers that find PK Mayo and company digging into a deeper emotional expanse, while slowing the tempo and allowing for more of a hint of wistful reflection. Closing track “Solace” is an ideal example, a weary ballad that confronts the sorrow of being left alone and inconsolable. The slow, steady stride of “Road of Love” allows for some soulful dedication and outward expression. On the other hand, “Somewhere Between You and I” offers an uplifting paean to hope and optimism. “Things will never be the same now that all our memories change,” Mayo sings, sharing the need to adjust and adapt with changing circumstance. It’s a sad song in a sense, but given its honesty and emotion, it’s affecting nonetheless.
 
Ultimately, Simple Search for Truth becomes more of a personal quest than a broader statement of fact. At only eight songs long, it’s a more or less abbreviated attempt at that. Yet, at the same time, it’s a comprehensive effort that fully reflects Mayo’s abilities and intents, and in that regard a little more PK Mayo would always be welcome. (By Lee Zimmerman)
 
Listen and buy the music of PK Mayo from AMAZON
 
For more information, please visit the PK Mayo website

---