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ReviewsThe View From Here...Indie In Tune
Each of the songs works as a sort of individual little world, slowly but surely developing and very evocative. More than peaceful, Michael’s songs are inspiring, as it’s easy to close your eyes and imagine the picture that his strings are painting through sound. It’s interesting to note that although Michael does possess a strong religious faith, this notion is not overbearing, and nor does it take place above the music, in his songwriting, which is a very worthy approach. Not only these peaks and valleys of acoustic guitar sound are peaceful, but the feeling that you get when you listen to them is that they are written and played by someone who is very peaceful himself. Peaceful, yes, delicate, surely, but at the same time not always goody-goody – the world is not just light, and the darkness creeps in sometimes, as does the sadness and every other feeling that is worthy of being represented like this. Take a song like “Tears Of The Wind”, in which Michael’s dabblings in more aggressive music have left him an accurate ear to represent the shadier side of his heart, it’s a brooding song that could well serve as an interlude on a metal band album, for example. Sit back, relax, and take a look (and a listen) at “The View From Here”. You’ll like it, you’ll see. Indie-Music.com
Mucklow tries to paint pictures in the listener’s mind with his guitar as his brush and the CD as his canvas. He gives a little “behind the songs” information for each song, which I didn’t look at until after I had heard the entire CD for the first time. Then, I had to agree with almost every “behind the songs” scene that was painted in my mind. Mucklow states that the word “phosphor” means “to bring light”, and his song “Phosphor” does just that -— allow the listener to visualize a happy, bright time. “Mysterium” speaks that life is a mystery, and the picking style is one that is dark and ominous. “Released” was written after the passing of a friend of Mucklow’s. This song brought out both feelings of sadness and joy -— sadness that the friend was gone, but joy that the friend was in a better place (which reflects Mucklow’s faith in Christ). “Balm” is a representation of this faith; it gives the listener different textures of picking to represent the different faces of Christ. Mucklow says that “Waterflow” “sounded like water in a stream," and I can’t deny that I thought of water when I heard the song. This CD is a lovely guitar instrumental, and I highly recommend it if you are fans of great acoustic guitar.
Minor 7th
Midwest Record Recap
BuddyHollywood.com
Mucklow's heavy metal/punk rock past (it WAS the 70's and 80's, after all) belies the beauty found in The View From Here. Eleven instrumental selections, all composed, arranged, and produced by Mucklow, feature acoustic guitar with occasional support from other instruments. The strings are picked with the fingers - like classical guitar but without the airs, creating music that is gentle and soothing, and somehow comfortingly familiar. However, instead of lulling the listener to sleep, the music bids the listener to really listen. More than background music, The View From Here is like an acoustic painting. It is music to contemplate by. "Tears of the Wind" is almost haunting. "Pipes Canyon Sunset" and "Phosphor" will be favorites too... and don't forget "Convertible," which just might entice a few listeners to take a drive with the top down. If you plan on a road trip in your convertible to see that sunset, don't forget to pop your copy of The View From Here into the CD player on the way. The view from HERE is beautiful!
Bridge Guitar Reviews
Indie Music Stop
This release is filled with just over one-hour of guitar instrumental music that is about as far away from rock and punk music as you can get. The eleven songs found on The View From Here are guitar instrumentals that Michael calls, New Age Fingerstyle. The music brings words like calming, relaxing, and mellow to mind. The songs are simple, yet not simplistic. Each song paints its own picture through music. I also liked the CD booklet's short notes that Michael included for each song. My favorite track is, "Convertible" which also happens to be the most upbeat song found on The View From Here. The song has a real nice flow and guitar work. Michael describes the song as, "driving down a desert road on a wonderful sunny day...in a convertible". If you want a CD that you can put on while you sit in a nice comfy chair and let the stress of the day melt away then The View From Here is just what your looking for.
Clearly...Daily Vault
His CD 'Clearly' is a relaxing blend of New Age and acoustic music, the kind of soothing background music that would sound good at dinner, around a campfire or in a documentary about saving the planet. Like most artists of this sort, Mucklow never stakes out a unique guitar voice or encompasses any sort of quirks to set his music apart -- by way of comparison, he sounds like a very low-key Leo Kottke or Tommy Emmanuel. The songs are inspired by Mucklow's spiritual journey and his physical journey across the western United States. Mucklow is unabashedly Christian, but that fact only is shown on his Web site and not in the lyric-free music. As most of his song descriptions seem reflective, the music is of a peace as well, dwelling in languid acoustic arpeggios, laid-back drum machines and a contemporary jazz feel to much of the music. This is where the disc works as background music. Listening to it closely doesn't reveal a lot of individual rewards, but that's not the point. It's about the mood, about making the listener slip into a ruminative trance ("In The Temple" pulls this off very nicely) and just forget about the day. The music surges at key times ("Sunlit Mesas") and sighs most of the time; it would be great for car trips when one needs to wind down, or for playing while you are eating a candlelit dinner with your girlfriend, or if you just need to forget everything and de-stress. Which is the point of New Age music, but some people took it too far into the spiritual realm, and here Mucklow reins in that tendency. "Gone For A Walk," written when the artist was 16, is just solo acoustic folk guitar, a simple and elegant piece, but it accomplishes the same emotive atmosphere as the eight-minute mood piece "In The Temple." The closing "Vibrant Aire" is a highlight, mixing a '90s alternative feel with a slight flamenco backdrop. Because the music isn't supposed to be taken separately, there are no offensive moments, though a couple spots drag with too-long electric guitar solos -- and not the good kind, but the contemporary jazz kind one hears on Muzak. It's a shame, because "Love's Way" could have been better with an acoustic playing the lead instead of the too-loud electric. As background and mood music, Clearly is a success, though it rarely goes beyond that. Worth listening to if you come across it for cheap or if you want some great music for that perfect romantic night.
Amazings Sounds
Rambles.net
I first listened to it on a quiet weekend afternoon at home and was immediately drawn to the wonderfully clear and resonant notes of the acoustic guitar that poured out. I turned the volume up, which is always a good sign, and hit repeat when the CD had finished, which is an even better one. Whether played quietly or loudly, on good speakers or mediocre ones, these 12 instrumental guitar tracks, united by Mucklow's supple fingerstyle guitar and attention to melody and mood, are easy to like. Though not without its shortcomings, Clearly is an unpretentious, expressive and audibly joyful listen that may just be the perfect relaxation CD for people who hate relaxation CDs. A little over half the tracks are played on acoustic guitar, minimally accompanied by light percussion and occasional piano, and it is on these unornamented pieces that Mucklow's command of the guitar really shines. The opening track, "Canyon Serenade," starts simply and doesn't so much build up as go deeper into its own melody to culminate in a surprising ending. "Cloud Shadows" has an easy, laidback sense of movement that fits its title perfectly. "Universe" is almost a lullaby with a tasteful touch of piano, while "Joy" and "Gone for a Walk" are, appropriately enough, more vivacious, slightly folksy pieces that sing of clean country air. A few of them sound rather similar on initial listens, but when they are all so beautifully evocative, it's hard to mind. The electric guitar pieces tend to be less effective, and especially after the acoustic tracks they seem a bit cluttered and fussy in comparison. "Sunlit Mesas," a piece to saunter off into the sunset with if ever there was one, is the obvious exception. "Moonlight Sands" is pleasant enough in a mild-mannered, jazzy Latin way, but the synthesizer intro to the seven-minute-long "In the Temple" is an unwanted trip back to the 1980s, as is the beat in "Love's Way." Neither is offensive enough to skip, but it is at these points that Clearly inches towards elevator music and kitschiness. But for all that, the album's virtues are much more memorable than its faults. Clearly is atmospheric enough to serve as soundtrack for quiet times, melodic enough to simply sit back and listen to, and altogether a promising solo guitar debut for Michael Mucklow. Just one question arises: why hasn't Windham Hill signed him up yet?
InnerChange.com
The songs don't repeat themselves; the style varies; this makes it easy to listen to the entire album again and again. The clear melodic squeaking sound of the fingers moving on the guitar strings brings you into the room with the artist. You hear elements of jazz, folk, classical, and new age music. The more I listen, the more I like it. On his web site Michael Mucklow shares his inspiration for each song. About the song “Loves Way”, he says: "There are times when God expresses His love for us in a more gentle way...He is comforting and wooing us. When I began writing the lead melody line for this song it began to feel like I myself was being reminded of how gentle God's love has been toward me. I'm very thankful for those times." And Mucklow's thoughts about track six, “Cloud Shadows”: "Clouds are very distinct entities in the desert because of the clear blue sky. When they are moving slowly and gently above the earth their shadows are cast upon the ground, hills and mountains. It can be mezmerizing to watch those shadows slowly make their way along." Playing while doing yoga, meditative movement, massage, eating breakfast, or talking with friends, may inspire you to cast your shadows gently upon the earth.
Foxy Digitalis
"Instrumental guitar stylings that are relaxing, meditative, joyful, sensitive, ethereal and soothing." Primary genre: New age fingerstyle
See that, right there, we got a problem. That’s a damned lie. Sure there’s plenty of guitars, there’s guitars for f***en Africa – quite reasonable finger-style guitar playin – and bass too apparently, but there’s also retarded percussion ("real AND programmed") and piano and synth muck all over this, ruining any chance that it might have been remotely listenable*. Mucklow thanks one Steve Lester in the liner notes "for always saying 'man, you gotta record this'"; if only someone along the line had also said "for god's sake have some balls and stop hiding your lamp under the bushel of 'production'." (* ok well track 3 "Moonlight Sands" and subsequent’s crematorium muzak put well f***en paid to that, didn’t it.)
BuddyHollywood.com “Canyon Serenade,” the project’s opener is a gentle exultation of the glories of nature. There are snatches of melodies in harken back to an old Christmas carol, and the spirit of the song seems to encourage heaven and nature to ‘sing!’ “Joy” is a subtle celebration of that misunderstood state of being that is often attributed as an emotion of sublime happiness. In Mucklow’s world, “Joy” appears to be more about graceful acceptance and contentment mixed with expectation. “Love’s Way” is flecked with a bosa nova sway; seductive yet demure. “(It Feels) Timeless” builds on the recurrent theme of celebrating our place in the universe first posited in “Uni-Verse,” and the seven and a half minute electrified epic, “In The Temple,” frees Mucklow to ponder the nature of the human and the divine. Michael Mucklow’s niche lies somewhere between the Canadian folk sensibilities of Steve Bell, the classical leaning of Christopher Parkening and Muriel Anderson, and the exquisite, populist fingerstyle of Larry Belknap. Clearly is subtle, emotionally rich, textured yet unobtrusive. This is a project that warrants repeated listens.
International Online Magazine I have, at hand, Michael's most recent recording 'Clearly' and I can tell you that this monumental mood enhancing collage of audio magnificence is one of the best things ever to grace the R Cat CD drawer and the air molecules that float directly in front of these speakers! The album opens with the delicate and inescapably brilliant Canyon Serenade - our introduction to Michael's world complete with beautifully played solo acoustic work accompanied in just the right places by piano and tabla styled percussion. There isn't anything remotely un-engaging in this piece and the magic is evident in the fact that you just cannot pull your attention away for too long without feeling like you've committed an act of betrayal on your senses! Joy follows Canyon Serenade and continues to inspire hitherto measures of awe and atmosphere... the kind you'd love to have permanently surrounding anyone who dares pass through your door with the slightest hint of negativity about them. This piece would surely confine that mindset in a heartbeat! It's such a bright, summery, melodic piece with just about every note carefully caressed for the right amount of time and with the right amount of co-ordination that some of the greatest guitar players often take with a pinch of salt. I don't think that happens here... I think Michael knows he's adequately blessed! Moonlight Sands meanwhile, takes the stage where the guys from the latino appreciation society normally reside and within a few bars, the entire track takes shape to become an accomplishment strewn in every direction with skill and superb stylistics. A beautifully arranged piece worthy of much praise and appreciation. Michael's managed to put personality between the riffs and chords and a very attractive personality it is! Watch out for the lovely piano and acoustic work that surfaces about mid-way through the track! Love's Way picks up the tempo with some very clever support from the percussion talents of Jon Gosen. The guitar work is whispered and dreamy in places and the approach works exceptionally well. You get the feeling that Michael's guitar is actually as much an extension of his heart and soul as his body is.. whatever way you look at it... Love's Way is a wonderful piece of jazziness with icing! Uni•Verse (One Song) is one of the most beautiful instrumentals I have heard in a long time. Very ambient and very effective in it's mood enhancing delivery.. excellent guitar work just grabs you at that point where you would rather not be let go for a very long time. Watch out for the equally remarkable piano arrangement that comes in at around the 2.14 mark... lovely! Cloud Shadows comes to us provoking just about every bright and sparkling memory we've ever had of comfort, contentment, and pure positive creativity all rolled into one. It's difficult for the average composer to achieve that kind of response but for me as a listener, it wasn't difficult at all! Then, we get to (It Feels) Timeless - what a great title for such a timeless piece of music! Again the guitar and percussion work are synchronous to the nth degree.. a superb arrangement with some very fine engineering at the mixer end of the spectrum! In The Temple is an absolutely brilliant piece of music with guitar, percussion, piano and synth all working so closely together they might as well have been played by an eight armed super musician! There are little hints of blues, contemporary jazz, and little reminiscences of folk here and there... I'll leave it to you to find them before you get to Healer - a rather sad and slightly introspective tune that provokes reflection at a point where you thought you were all out of reflecting! It's a beautifully crafted piece of work is this and it firmly establishes Michael and co as a very accomplished group of musicians who know a thing or two about how much can push the emotions! Track ten just happens to be Sunlit Mesas - a lovely example of 'borderless' and innovative fingerpicking that's actually prevalent throughout this CD but even more welcome here. The guitar work is so clear and sensibly recorded that you feel like michael is sitting right next to you. I'd love to know what this guitar is... there's barely a hint of poor lutherianship anywhere to be found. (is that the right word Michael??). Gone For A Walk is so seamlessly bright and optimistic it's hard to stop yourself hitting the rewind buttons as your disbelief would have you do time and time again. Michael Mucklow has composed another work of beauty that has the same effect on your audio senses that some of the greatest finger-picked guitar tunes ever composed do.. brilliant! The final track on this wonderful album is the anthemic Vibrant Aire. What a rather magnificently innovative piece of music this is.. meandering guitar riffs and phrases, attention holding percussion and some very fine engineering make this track stand out like a rose among fuchsias... it's a cleverly arranged piece of music that has more depth and colour than your average Renaissance painting! Very nice music boys! Michael Mucklow's 'Clearly' is a monumental collection of guitar-focused classics that have the power to lift your spirit and your mood while subtly massaging just about every sense of well being you ever thought you possessed! Buy this album if you like clever guitar playing and stunning production all set with a contemporary edge. Bless you Michael for bringing this one into the world!
New Artist Radio Refreshing and positive with a slight hint of spanish twang, this music kept my interest with 12 wonderful tracks that were diverse from one another. Something about this music kept giving me goose bumps, hard to explain I think it might have been the soft yet powerful way the guitar was worked. The production of this music was very clear and crisp and easy to listen to but you might find yourself being visited by the goose fairy. I would recommend this music to everyone that wants to take a break and enjoy your life from a different soundtrack.
Midwest Record Recap
20th Century Guitar
(Print Publication) Instrumental Observer
The music on Clearly springs several surprises, but it also has a state of grace in its calmer moments. The members share ideas, interpoling them and then taking them out into articulately giddy terrain. The musician’s ideas are constantly fertile. Canyon Serenade has a nice early morning sunrise feel. It would be a great track to encourage you to get out of bed on a cold winters day. The guitar is backed by gentle percussion and sparse piano notes. Moonlight Sands has a more latin jazz feel in which the percussion works really well. It has a downbeat/sinister verse section. There is a slow catchy piano solo towards the end of the track. Surprise is another driving force, as the album changes pace and direction. After the gentle (It Feels) Timeless, the atmosphere turns to a churning one on In The Temple. A dark sustained electric blues lick opens the track, backed by a somber sounding piano. The most passionate moment comes when the blue licks loop into the track towards the end. This is the first time I have heard finger style guitar, and am proud to have reviewed this album. In short, the music is not only well crafted, but crafty and it is all delightful. Smother Magazine
Mish Mash
The album centers around Mucklow and his guitar, with accompanying piano and percussion tagging along for the ride, providing a nice embellishment for the guitar centerpiece. The simplicity and the positvite attitude make a wonderful combination, and the result is a highly memorable album. MISH MASH Mandate: Joyful Noise Bridge Guitar Reviews
Testimonials... "This CD really captures a mood for me...a great listen when I want to chill out! Very expressive music. The acoustic layers of piano and percussion compliment Michael's' tasty guitar work to create a wonderful sonic experience!" "Once again I sit at my computer enjoying 'Clearly'. Okay, I said 'In the Temple'was ONE of my favorites...that's because each song has its own beautifully defined essence. Just like the Lord. Everything He does is beautiful. How precious He is in each song. He flows through each song in His many flavors...He paints each plucked string with echos of His love. I so enjoy His Presence here...I feel His love...His passion...His gentleness...His faithfulness.
He plucks the strings of my heart as I listen to the Expressions of His Heart in Song...He embraces me with His Joy through Canyon Sunrise...and stills my heart through the Love's Way...I thank the Lord that He has brought you to the other side of this CD."
"Technically, musically and spiritually inspiring stuff. A most worthwhile purchase. There is something for everyone on this CD. Mucklow doesn't repeat himself from song to song, preferring to delve into many different styles which makes the CD playable again and again. All I can say is bring on the next CD!"
"A Superbly Assured Inspirational Music.
I listened to "clearly" again and again and enjoyed every sound of it. Michael plays the guitar with an understanding, commitment and the touchness of reality. I loved it." "Fresh, rich tones. Sweet stylings. Clean. Age-defying, pretty stuff.
Nice, rich acoustic tones. Beautiful and uplifting music to have floating around in your house. Good for reading on a sunny Sunday with only your cats for company. Good for baking cinnamon apples to. Top with fresh cream. Has a freshness to it, immaculate, clean production, clearly. Would love to see this artist really streeeeetch. Dig deeper. Ask what if...? Glad to own this, look forward to hearing future projects that break a few rules. Lovely...but, what if????" "Awesome! The perfect blend of relaxation and motivation. I really enjoy listening to this CD at work. I love guitar and look forward to possibly collaborating with Mr. Mucklow in the future." "I love this album.
Michael Mucklow's "Clearly" cd is one of the most beautiful instrumentals I have heard, not just in long time, but in my whole life. It is one of my favorite cd's to wake up to in the morning on my cd player/alarm clock. What soothing and wonderful sounds to wake up to...and get ready for the day with! I highly recommend this cd to anyone and everyone. This music is not limited by genre. The artist is versatile and smooth. The music is like a breathe of fresh air. And just in time for spring!" "It's mellow, it's melodic, it's well played...and it holds up really well to repeated listening -- I've been listening to it repeatedly while driving for over a week now and it's playing right now as I type this. I haven't tired of hearing it a bit, but rather find myself enjoying it even more with repeated hearings -- it just plain feels good. While this original and interesting music rewards concentrated listening, it's also able to blend easily and unobtrusively into the background." "Mike Mucklow has made a great recording.
His new record is a nice collection of tunes, and well played, produced and edited." |
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