Shelter In Place
Alternator, 2021
8/10
Though the name Michael James might not be familiar to you, we’ve all heard music he’s been a part of, as he’s been producer for bands like New Radicals, Hole and Eric Church, to name a few.
An aptly titled pandemic record, Shelter In Place brings in many musicians and vocalists, who illuminate James’ diverse vision of rock across these 17 tracks.
“When The Penny Drops” starts the listen with a quick blast of atmosphere that leads into a furious bout of drums and bluesy guitar, and this moves into the calm acoustic guitar of the poetic “Come Back Lover”. James plays several instruments on the tune, and Aaron Durr handles vocals, keys and drums, as they cultivate a gentle version of soft-rock.
Deeper into the listen, “Scraping The Guard Rail (All The Way Down)” oozes spirited guitar work alongside strategic synth from Chris Jansen, and Rob Ahlers’ drumming won’t go unnoticed, either, while “Save Me Tonight” brings strings and Hammond B3 from Eric Colvin into the emotive album highlight. “Something”, another exceptional track, then recruits slide guitar thanks to James Zota Baker and Sam Martinez’s bass for a very mature and stirring climate that even gets dreamy.
As we advance towards the end, “Rise Up Into The Light” finds an eloquent place to reside, where much beauty flows amid the layered version of Americana, and “Let’s Connect Our Minds” exits the listen with playful rhythm amid the uplifting finish where Colvin lends his pipes to the rugged yet smooth grooves.
Lyrically, James explores themes that we all dealt with during 2020, i.e. loneliness, isolation, hope, and mortality, and his stunning guitar solos combined with the many guest players makes for a varied and relatable listen that documents the pandemic with much grace, insight and warmth.
Travels well with: Steve Dawson- at the bottom of a canyon in the branches of a tree; Tim Foljahn- I Dreamed A Dream