Album Reviews

Posted: August 5 2008

The Jeff Michael Band was the LA CityGuide's Band of the Week- May 18-25 PRESS: "Jeff Michael can best be described as a one-man Traveling Wilburys, at least the Tom Petty and George Harrison part of that supergroup. On the band's debut EP, Michael combines Petty's jangle pop and a Harrisonesque voice to fine results, with "When Will I See You Again" and "Straight Line" sounding like outtakes from the Wilburys' Volume One. The John Hiatt-ish "Enjoy The Ride" is another winner, and the EP closes with "Empty Lives", a track heavily influenced by "Tomorrow Never Knows" with its hypnotic drums and backwards guitars. As I always say with quality EPs, bring on the full length! - Absolutepowerpop.blogspot.com ( June 12, 2008) REVIEW OF OUR SONG "EMPTY LIVES" "I have come to this angry town. My friends have gone, they've all left and gone to their jobs, to their rooms, to their empty, empty lives." The weather cooled down today, but only because of a tropical storm. Good for us because we get some rain, but how horrible for others who have to deal with the aftermath of a storm. We are thankful for the rain, but at whose expense? “We all dream of this happy place where we all live in harmony” sings the narrator. The song is sneaky – I turned it up to hear the intriguing sounds and wham! – got smacked in the old eartaster by a wall of sound. Sneaky punch. Sorta like a tropical storm in my head. Many enjoyable flavors in the track – some smart psychedelic keyboard work, fun rock guitar licks, lots of smashing drums. What will we do with our empty lives? “What does it matter?” Well, this eartaster will while his away listening to some great music. Thanks! The Jeff Michael Band Eartaste.blogspot.com (Aug. 5, 2008) "The Other Side," The Jeff Michael Band, independent recording.Manlius native Jeff Michael has made himself a sweet country-pop album out in Los Angeles.There's plenty of fun twang on the love song "When Will I See You Again?" and a satisfying pop edge to "Empty Lives," The writer and romantic in him have you rooting for a happy ending in the former as Michael sings, "She went to the bar and she sat very far and she gave me the twinkle in her eye. It was then that I knew, it's not them, it's only you." -Mark Bialczak (The Post Standard)June 1 2008