Fans of the Asbury Park music scene are no strangers to Yawn Mower. Their lo-fi indie sounds have performed all over Asbury and gained a growing fan base. Now, Mike Chick is preparing to release his newest LP, Congarts, on April 17. On March 20, Chick released “Atom Bomb,” the third single from the album. “Atom Bomb” follows Chick’s previous LP singles “Tomorrow is a Blur” and “Corona” and continues the album’s anticipated vocal fun and hints at Chick’s Yawn Mower roots. 

“Atom Bomb’s” imagery-driven lyrics mirror its cover art, with Mike Chick singing through exaggerated disaster: “Holding on the back of an atom bomb / Fell off the roof…and now my body’s all wrapped in gauze.” The result is a blend of damage with understated delivery that pays homage to Yawn Mower.

The repetition of Chick quietly repeating the line “come and get your love” introduces a faded sense of hope and optimism to the track. Still, it’s consistently overshadowed by the track’s more tragic imagery. That contrast creates a push and pull between lightness and destruction, letting playful tension add a layer of character and personalization to the track.

What stands out in “Atom Bomb” is the track’s drum machine, which gives the song a steady, almost hypnotic pulse that creates a strong foundation for the rest of the track’s elements to build on. Layered on top is a bold, heavy guitar line that feels like a treat each time it is brought to the surface. 

Vocally, Chick doesn’t stray far from his range, keeping things controlled and understated. Paired with a subtle radio-like filter, his voice feels distant and nostalgic, almost like it’s coming through a speaker. The effect instantly brings to mind “On Melancholy Hill” by Gorillaz, and even more recently, portions of “Ready, Steady, Go!” by Harry Styles.

Where the song becomes a bit uneven is its use of female backing vocals from Martin Howth. Although they add an interesting layer in theory, they don’t always blend seamlessly with Chick’s vocal filter, sometimes pulling listeners out of the previous cohesive soundscape. If Howth’s voice contained that same filter, or even a more pronounced filter, it could have added a different dynamic to the song, a voice of something other worldly comforting Chick with the tragedies he sang about. 

As a whole, “Atom Bomb” is self-aware of its edginess. With its exaggerated lyrics and nostalgic production, Chick solidifies his career beyond Yawn Mower while still proudly staying attached to his roots. It’s a careful balance that feels both intentional yet natural, proving that moving forward doesn’t require letting go of where you came from.

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Photos courtesy of Mike Chick