Artist of the Week: Michael Tolcher

I've been covering a lot of acoustic singer-songwriters lately. I guess everyone goes through a new phase of music every once in a while. My friend Wendy (and talented concert photographer as you can tell from the awesome photos used on my blog — check out her photos here) suggested me listening to Michael Tolcher, sending me his Web site. From the first song I heard, I was hooked.

"Sooner or Later" is a catchy song right off the bat. Being a writer myself, I tend to analyze each lyric throughout every song I listen to, and this song in particular is so deep in meaning. Almost a guideline to life, Tolcher's song strikes a chord. Lyrics like, "Some things you have to learn them all on your own/And you can't rely on anybody else/Or the point of view of a source unknown/If it feels good and it sounds nice/Then it's your choice so don't doubt yourself/Don't even think twice" intrigue the listener. When he sings, "We only want what's best for you/That's why we tell you what to do/And nevermind if nothing makes sense/'Cause it all works out in the end" you believe him. Visit his site to take a listen.

"Bad Habits" segues nicely from "Sooner or Later." A moving ballad with a piano intro that features Tolcher's deep vocals and light guitar strumming, "Bad Habits" grabs the listener's attention. Another striking song is"No One Above," a seductive, almost jazzy song with a smooth drum and guitar beat.

Slightly reminiscent to "Sooner or Later" is cleverly titled, "Mission Responsible." You can check out a live performance for "Mission Responsible" below.



For more on Michael, be sure to visit his MySpace.