Mike Dangeroux – Still Dangerous
Red Dawg Records
13 Tracks – 60 minutes
Mike Dangeroux was born in Chicago but is a graduate of the Berklee College of Music in Boston. He returned to Chicago to further his musical career, which has included playing with many famous Chicago musicians including Koko Taylor and Buddy Guy. Mike’s web site establishes that he performs as a solo or duo all the way up to a ten-piece band, playing across many genres of music and even offering DJ services. “With a repertoire of over 500 songs across multiple genres, we seamlessly move between timeless classics, Motown, jazz, pop, rock, R&B, reggae and contemporary hits.” Blues is not mentioned, but his credentials are solid in that genre as cited above as ones above he has played with and further recognized by his induction into the Chicago Blues Hall of Fame on August 16, 2026. The induction stated, “This prestigious honor recognizes his decades-long contributions to Chicago’s blues scene, particularly as a master blues guitarist whose music has been a voice for the city’s rich musical heritage”.
On this album, Mike wrote all songs, produced and engineered the album, does all vocals and plays guitar, bass drums, and keyboards. Vince Varco is the only other musician on the album playing piano, organ, and strings on the album on tracks 1-5, 7 & 10). Vince is also listed as a co-producer for the album. Casper is listed as a drum consultant and co-writer on the final track.
The album opens with “Feels So Right”. as he notes “you move around my morning like you own the day and every crooked worry just dissolves away, just feels so right.” It is “like the world bends softer whenever you’re around”. On “Where’s My Money”, he implores a borrower to return his money “said you’d settle up soon”. “You took my last quarter. You promised me the rest. Talked like a preacher, but my dollar is in your chest.” He declares “Nothing is Going to Keep Me Away” including “not the miles, not the years, not the shame or the skeptical tears. Nothing is gonna make me turn and walk away”. “Through the rain and thunder, through the long and lonesome blues, nothing’s gonna keep me away from you.” A fervent guitar solo cements the pain he is feeling in reaching out to her.
He tells her that he is “Still Wondering About You”. “Streetlight pours whiskey down the pavement like a hymn. I trace the cigarette smoke where your shadow used to spin. The barroom clock keeps laughing at the promises I break, and every empty glass reflects the shape of your mistake.” “If love is a highway, I missed the exit, driving on the shoulder with a headlight full of woe.” He then tells her that he is no “Mind Reader” and demands she tell him, “What you mean”. “I can hear the thunder, but I can’t feel your pain.” You have a suitcase full of maybe and a suitcase full of why”. “I can’t fix your picture if I don”t know where you’ve been”. He explains to her “My Snake Don’t Bite” and advises “Folk thinks he’s trouble, he’ll steal your pride” “He slides through the night like a whisper.” “Don’t sink his teeth in your heart, no way. My snake don’t bite, he just sways”.
He asks, “Do You Still Love Me” with an ominously sounding bass leading off. “Your picture in the doorway makes the room stand still. We had words like thunder, left the porch light burning low. I keep turning to the doorway, baby where did you go?” “You used to love me, am I on your mind? You used to love me or did that feeling fall behind?” Continuing the story, Mike tells her “You Can’t Break Me”. “Woke up to thunder, your shadow at the door. Said you’d leave me lonely, leave me on the floor. Poured out my pockets, tried to steal my name.” You can break the bottle, burn the bridge behind me.” “But you can’t break me. No, you can’t shake the tree.” “Dust On My Boots” is a wanderer’s tale. “Every mile I’ve walked leaves a story in the sand. Dust on my boots, a restless tired man.” My maps a crumpled mess, torn at the seams. But the only love I’ve found is the road’s mean dream.”
Mike lets his guitar do the talking on the opening of “The Silence is Talking” before warning “The silence is talking, it don’t sound like hope. It’s a slow, slow heartbeat, an anxious hollow rope. Whispers in the static saying we’re unmade. Silence is talking, and it’s heavy as the shade.” “Sirens sound like lullabies on broken strings”. “Headlines keeps repeating like a needle on the track.” Mike’s description of his “Delta Girl” paints a beautiful picture. “She walks like the river slow and sure, mud on her boots and a heart that’s pure. Eyes like storm clouds, lips like a hymn. When she laughs the night leans in. Got that old porch sway in the heat of June, a lover’s lullaby under a midnight moon. Every step she takes makes the cypress bend.” ” Sweet Delta girl, don’t let me go, you’re the river’s song, you’re the undertow.”
On “First Light (What Are We Doing Here)” he offers an ode to a fresh love starting in a smokey opening whisper before asking “What are we doing here, baby? learning how to be close. Letting all the edges soften, going where the feeling flows. What are we doing here darling? Finding something fine. Slow and easy, heart to heart, taking one small step at a time.” “If you’re ready, I am ready”. He closes with “Right Love Wrong Time Again” offering the return of a former love only to discover that old pains still exist. ” We laughed like the years had only paused for a while, two old hearts walking to a familiar smile. Your hand found mine like it knew where to begin, like every road we walked still lived beneath our skin. For a moment it felt like nothing had changed, just two lost lovers standing in the rain. But silence tells the truth that words can’t defend, Some stories circle back but never quite mend.”
Mike provides a rich tapestry of lyrical poetry embodied in metaphorical swaths splashing deep details of life. His songs are blues, but certainly are the blues of a modern age. His chosen instrumentation is equally adept in establishing the moods of his vocals and the theme of his songs. His vocals are not what I would consider classic blues, but he certainly delivers his intent with the feelings he wants to present from the wails of despair to the smoothing taste of love.
