The Water Is High
Self-Released, 2023
8/10
The singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist MOTU (i.e. Dr. Richard Michelson), pens a 22nd solo album here, where Dee Michelson, Bob Rush, Ed Modzel, and Dr. Rich accompany him for the diverse 10 tracks.
“I’m Just Here Playin’ In This Band” begins the listen with Michelson’s smooth and soaring voice alongside Modzel’s crisp drums and MOTU’s spirited guitar, and the title track follows with Rush’s soulful harmonica amid MOTU’s raw pipes versus Michelson’s pretty voice.
“Are You The Man I’ve Been Waiting For?” arrives in the middle and showcases Rush’s firm keys and MOTU’s thick guitar in the blues-rock display, while “Lovely Day For A Moon Walk” offers a rich and dynamic version of retro rock ideas that welcomes sitar from MOTU.
“I’ll Fly Away” and “Walk With Me For One More Mile” exit the listen, where former strums like a folk song and is poetic via MOTU’s raspy singing and Michelson’s sublime harmonizing, as pedal steel is employed strategically, and the latter emits vivid storytelling in the bare, intimate climate.
MOTU stands for Music Of The Universe, and his easily accessible vision spans plenty of variations of rock, blues, jazz and is so well done, he might just see more Grammy attention thrown his way.
Travels well with: Charles Brown- A New Awakening; Matt Smith- Being Human