Michael Lee’s Face Forward is an album made for fans of melodic alternative rock. Its tracks are driven by Michael’s strong vocals and the band’s moody rhythms. The sound is a bit similar to that of the Goo Goo Dolls at times, with more soul. Lyrically, Michael’s songs are deep. They cover the traditional subject matter of life and love, as well as the standards of the genre, longing and angst.
The music behind Michael Lee is impressive to say the least. At times it clearly pays homage to great alternative rock bands like Incubus, Hoobastank and Audio Slave, while at other times it’s reserved, simplistic, and perfectly complements the singer/songwriter elements that Michael can project. “Mystery Of Life” is the perfect example of this. With “Mystery Of Life” it’s simply Michael, a guitar and nothing else. It’s this stripped down approach that allows Michael’s voice to shine and lyrics to stand on their own. The lyrics are those of longing and being lost in life; justwhat you’d expect from the genre. This isn’t a song whose hooks that will keep it playing on the airwaves, but it is destined to be a fan favorite.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, the title track is purely instrumental. It’s mostly a piano and drum driven track, but make no mistake that the guitar, especially toward the end, elevates the piece to being much more than a bonus instrumental afterthought. It firmly ties together the overall aesthetic of the album. On a side note, Michael Lee needs to write the score to a movie. There is something very cinematic about “Face Forward,” as well as the track “Never Enough Time.”
“Never Enough Time” is one of Face Forward’s standout tracks. It is incredibly cinematic, and sounds like something that would be featured in one of Robert Rodriguez’s films. It is a moody song infused with both Western and Middle Eastern vibes. While subdued at first, the vocals take on a gritty Audio Slave tone by the end and the music seems to capture some of the trance/rock qualities of Incubus.
While fans of melodic alternative rock will enjoy Face Forward, it may not be for everyone. Tracks like “Despite” and “Youth” are solid enough, but they are long. The former clocks in just shy of six and a half minutes. Also, the melodic sound falls into a trap that is common for the genre. At times it can be boring. Each track stands well on it’s own, but when listening to the album it becomes repetitive until the last half.
You won’t find tracks here that sound like anything on the Billboard charts, but that’s not a bad thing. Michael Lee is original. He stands apart. He sounds like what an indie artist is supposed to sound like. He sounds like nothing you’ve heard before.
Review by Zack Daggy
