Maurice Hope – October 14, 2016 at 01:36PM
Tags:_AMERICANA
Santa Fe-based singer-songwriter Jaime Michaels has been around for quite some time, and in Once Upon A Different Time he has his 10th album. It’s a solid one too.
Steeped in simple melodies his cleverly written songs are of the kind that shed light on life, sometimes wistful, on other occasions cleverly formed recollections of former days. With understated production Michaels is joined by pickers Ben Wright, Jason Crosby, Josh Martin, David Berkeley, Char Rothschild, Mark Clark, Justin Bransford, John Egenes, Jono Manson among others; plus vocalists Melissa Greener and Stefano Barotti.
After a solid, well-executed opening three songs he really made me sit up with the song “Crazy For Me”. Not only does he sound sharper, but also his style offers a favourable comparison to Houston, Texas singer-songwriter legend Eric Taylor. It has all the hallmarks; not least among its list of attributes is the story-telling factor. His lyrics are spare and cutting. The kind that gets beneath the surface of one’s everyday thoughts, the kind that make the listener yearn for more of the like (and it is nicely warmed in the harmony vocals of Berkeley and Greener).
While he doesn’t reach the same lofty heights again, Michaels comes near on a couple of occasions. “Circling Around” (a jaunty little number decorated in some delightful piano and banjo, I love the tempo of the tune), “No Paddle Wheel”, “The Heat”, title track “Once Upon A Different Time” and when penny whistle, banjo, fiddle and piano join in the fun on Celtic flavoured hot footed “Singing For My Supper”. It is something you might hear in Santa Fe, New Mexico on St. Patrick’s day!
Maurice Hope
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