Gordon Michaels - Give It All Away
Pop, Rock, Singer-songwriter
Maryland, United States
Overall Impression: Gordon Michaels waxes poetic about the vagabond lifestyle in the rose-tinted, Rock-fueled original track, "Give It All Away"! Paving the way with nostalgia-tinged acoustic guitar and intimate vocal tones, "Give It All Away" gradually transforms into a boldly driving piece of Pop Rock - balancing bright vocal harmonies atop pleasantly punchy distortions and ethereal instrumental variations as Gordon Michaels convinces both himself and anyone listening to trade in what's physical for what's real.
Strongest Point(s): "Give It All Away" displays an impressive depth of artistic drive! Each moment of the experience feels fully intentional and carefully considered - eliminating anything that might obstruct listener immersion. Excellent instrumental tones, from the richness of the acoustic guitar to the fullness and warmth of the bass and back around to that ultra-pleasant electric crunch in the pre chorus and chorus. Gordon Michael's vocals are perfect for the sound and style of the song and do well to capture the lyrical content with inviting brightness and a certain heartfelt authenticity. Already making for a compelling sonic experience, these elements are brought to full force through clever structure and careful ornamentation with the reversed acoustic riff and sneakily building strings giving way to a sprawling and ethereal bridge section - providing a psychedelic deviation from the pattern before launching back into the chorus at full steam. Really excellent work from Gordon Michaels and Ron Turner!
Target Audience Appeal: Fans of the Alt. Rock sound that defined much of the late 90s and the full 00s will be overjoyed to hear the color palette being applied as skillfully as it is in Gordon Michael's "Give It All Away"! Far from a throwback, this thoughtful piece of Pop Rock manages to unite familiar style with a fully present feel - setting "Give It All Away" forth as a well-crafted, widely appealing and easily re-playable introduction to the clever creative wit of Gordon Michaels!
Artist target suggestions: John Mayer, Ed Sheeran, Incubus, Ben Kweller, Counting Crows, Foo Fighters, The Smashing Pumpkins, Queens of the Stone Age, Soul Asylum, Oasis, Lifehouse, Edwin McCain, Tyrone Wells, Five For Fighting, Matt Nathanson, O.A.R., Moonstar88
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About the Reviewer:
Jon Wright is a trained multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and music educator with nearly twenty years of experience in the field. Working with musicians and their individual sounds is his passion and profession, and he strives to interact with and understand every aspect of the production process - from theory and songwriting to recording and mastering. He continues to teach students of all ages and is currently collaborating with artists in a wide variety of genres.