I suppose the old adage “you can’t judge a book by its cover” holds true for CD’s as well. Viewing the back cover with a pastoral photo of Michael Lee standing in a field with an acoustic guitar slung over his shoulder gave the impression of a laid-back singer-songwriter type offering. However, I was quite taken by surprise upon first listening. Although there is a bit of the aforementioned acoustic vibe, Michael’s music rocks. At times classic progressive rockers such as Genesis, Yes and Rush came to mind although “Face Forward” has its own contemporary and melodic sound, featuring clever and intriguing chord changes and time signatures, and a lack of predictability in where it will go from one minute to the next. These are all good things and add to the interest level, drawing the listener into its evolutionary arc. There are also pop elements that would appeal to fans of artists like John Mayer or Sting, who Michael cites as a major influence.
Michael cites the first track, “Land Of Change” as being his favorite, and I would agree that it is probably my favorite as well. I like the psychedelic sounds that set the stage at the beginning of the song before it breaks into a mid tempo groove, as well as the chiming rhythm guitars that help carry the tune along. “Trust” is an excellent choice for a single and rocks a bit harder with catchy hooks and melodies. Offering a bit of a change-up is “Mystery Of Life” which is a quiet ballad featuring just guitar and vocal and shows a more sensitive side of Michael’s musical spectrum.
The songs deal with a range of subject matter, much of it being personal and drawing from Michael’s own experience. The lyrics, which are well written and often compelling, are enhanced by the lovely timbre of Michael’s voice, which can go from soft and sensitive to more assertive and soulful, sometimes slipping into a well-placed falsetto.
Besides vocals, he also proves himself to be a skilled multi-instrumentalist covering just about everything here including electric and acoustic guitars, bass, piano, synthesizers, mandolin, percussion, and even drums on two tracks. The rest of the songs feature the stellar drum work of Will Gates. As a guitarist myself, I am always attuned to other guitar players tone and technique, both of which impressed me greatly on this CD. In addition to playing most of the instruments and writing the material, Michael arranged, mixed, and did a great job of producing the music, which is quite an accomplishment for someone at such a relatively early stage of his career.
The inspiration for the album’s title, Face Forward comes from the artist’s recent perceptual shift from previously focusing on life’s dark clouds to now searching for silver linings and accentuating the positive. This is sage advice for all of us. Interestingly, the title track is the only instrumental piece on the album.
Trying to find the highlights on this CD is difficult – but only because there are so many of them. There is no filler – every song is excellent! It’s just a matter of which elements of his artistry appeals to the individual listener. While I was most drawn to the more adventurous arrangements and progressive side of Michael’s music, others may favor the introspective pop aspects. But whatever dimension of his sound you resonate to there is no denying the incredible talent of this gifted UK-based musician. I’m sure that Michael Lee is a name we’ll be hearing a lot more of in the future.
Review by Michael Diamond
