"I am the King of Mediocrity / I’m never better than the ordinary / Like the leader of a small town band / Three chords and a shaking hand..."
The indie folk rock whimsy and wanderlust of "King of Mediocrity" by Mo Klé, the moniker of Swiss songwriter René Grünenfelder, feels like an injection of energy without digesting a Redbull or having 3 cups of coffee. By the way, I need my coffee in a big way this morning despite Mo Klé vibes are kicking in. I can tell by my toe tapping, by the edges of my mouth rising up and that specific sharp desire to go see an indie band in some back room venue. This track moving at a wonderful clip with sonic shifts that swing and roll down open roads. Grünenfelder imbues the song with self deprecation but also the sense that being oneself does not always mean being the best at everything or the sense that the desire to be the best may, in fact, be detrimental to being yourself. There is a lot to say for chasing sanity and having a present mind for those you love then buying your bigger house. Ok, I don't know if that is exactly the thrust here but...
Grünenfelder shares this:
"The song revolves around a feeling everyone knows all too well: the doubt of not being good enough, and the desire to be seen and loved despite one’s shortcomings. «I wanted to write a song about accepting that we’re not perfect—and about the beauty that can often be found in exactly that,» the songwriter says about the creation of the track"
So, yeah, all that other stuff was what the track made me feel and that is why I love songs because as I have said probably a hundred times, for me, songs are sonic Rorschach tests that often reveal more about us as listeners than the author of the song and I like that, always.
The production on this song is cool and very potent. A perfect framework for Grünenfelder's vocal countenance that at once feels neighborly, folksy, yet pop prescient. I love the mid-range textures, the slight folk drawl, the playful stance, splinters of Dylan, Tom Petty, Kevin Morby, Dylan Thomas Griffin. Besides the rolling bass and drums dance, the railroad chug of the track, there are so many adornments, plucky sounds, organ / synth ambience, and a stellar lead guitar accompaniment that stirs up the indie rock element, love that and how it interacts with the soundscape. Beautiful.
LINER NOTES (excerpted / bracketed):
With King of Mediocrity Mo Klé delivers a track that sits somewhere between Indie, Pop, and Folk—with a hook that catches immediately and lingers long after. «I felt that this song is the perfect door-opener for the new album. The lightness and humour of this track does the album good—it reminds me not to take myself too seriously,» Grünenfelder explains. The album will be released in June 2026.]
-Robb Donker Curtius
The Chicken Wheel will take you to the AP Go Fund Me- and any amount is so appreciated!
THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_08oClLad4Kucf1SVwrQkw
https://www.instagram.com/MoKleSongs/
https://www.facebook.com/MoKleSongs/
https://www.mo-kle.com/
Mo Klé is the stage name of the Swiss songwriter René Grünenfelder. He manages to capture the essence of his songs with just an acoustic guitar, an unmistakable voice, and acerbic lyrics in English, German or Swiss German when performing live.
Mo Klé , Swiss songwriter, indie rock, folk rock, toe tapping acerbic folk, songwriter René Grünenfelder, vast sonics, upcoming album "Three Chords and a Shaking Hand", "King of Mediocrity" (Official Video),
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