The melodic rhythm on this cover “When We Were Young” by Mike Martin has a really unusual and refreshing sense of movement to it. Everything else aside for a moment, the way the lyrics pour through during those verses gives the song a lot of character. This amazing song was originally sung by Adele and it is one of their masterpieces as well. The lyrics are not the ones you all will catch at first, but for some reason, it doesn’t matter, and as the song evolves those various structural sections help build something that draws you in and consistently works hard to keep you interested.

From the very beginning, the song emerges with plenty of space, so your focus is on the leading voice – on those lyrics, that tone, that melody. This is where you start to realize that the song was potentially crafted with intent, rather than as a by-product of a musical jam (though of course, I could be wrong, and in either case, the result shines brightly). A confidently stylish piano drives the soundscape, the relevant sound of distant thunder, and the awesome or quirky acoustic rhythm. Then Mike Martin’s voice introduces softly descriptive and poetic ideas and images. His voice is perfectly well-suited to this type of song. It’s captivating, it sounds up close and personal, believable – real.

You forget how good the song is until you hear it in its own right. The production is on point, the hook is brightened by well-cut snippets of audio that add an all-important riff to an already simple and effective melody. It’s a hook that sinks in quickly, just as you’d expect from well-written and performed jazz music. It’s also got that necessary alternative touch, that edge – Mike Martin has a certain swagger about his music and his performances that works beautifully right now. The very concept of this song, its hook, and the superb accompanying video, all back this up brilliantly.

On top of that initial melodic individuality, Mike Martin’s voice has a fairly unique sound – it fits the tone of this alternative jazz feels pretty flawlessly, but it also offers plenty in the way of personality, which, working in unison with the lyrics, lets you get a little closer to the artist as an individual. His accent adds authenticity, and his effortless ability to move back and forth between the lighter, higher notes, and those heavier, more passionately intense ones are consistently impressive. She brings a certain flair and brightness to the song that works really well.