I listened through all his stuff in an evening once about two years ago. I liked it all well enough, but nothing about it really stuck out to me. I’ve listened to all of that again, now, with more attention and with more experience. After all, I’ve been listening to him when he comes up in my regular listening for the last couple years. From that, I knew I liked him alright, I was positively inclined. But I didn’t have any strong feelings, nothing more than a vague positive inclination. After this listen, even just on the stuff I’d already heard, I have to say I like him a lot. He’s super solid. He doesn’t do anything particularly complex– lyrics, arrangements, melodies, harmonies, rhythms, they’re all pretty simple, pretty basic. But, they’re put together super well. Most every song is really engaging and fun to listen to, I’m here for it.
A big part of why I’m finally doing an “official” listen to Michigander is because he released a full length album this year. Honestly, if I were to lean into my efforts to be more expansive in what constitutes an album, more expansive in which artists are “ready” for me to review them, I think I’d have to give Michigander an official listen regardless. His eps are thoughtful and cohesive, he has a solid body of work without the full length. That said, the album’s release is what drew my attention back to him.
And the album is pretty good, it’s solid. I’m a little bit of two minds about it, but only a little bit. Mostly I just feel like it makes me a hypocrite. The main point I have about Michigander’s earlier stuff is that it’s super simple, basic. Well put together, but simple. (rhythmically) Regular blocked chords, standard song structures, uncomplicated melodies and harmonies, not a lot of moving parts. That’s not even so much a complaint, because I don’t want to be in the habit of saying only complicated music is good music and I’m happy to like simple music. But, I will admit I itched for a little more complexity. And here’s this new album, which I think does toe a little bit more toward that complexity, and I’m not sure if I think it was the right move. It’s still pretty simple, I used the word “toe” for a reason, but there’s definitely a little more variation in some production choices and stuff and I don’t think it’s all for the better. I don’t necessarily think it’s worse, but I think his earlier songs have an ambience and inertia that I don’t get from this album. So that’s my gripe, for what little it’s worth
All told, Michigander is super consistent and solid and I enjoy listening to him. Pretty easy A-
Michigander complete, now listening to: Modest Mouse
tunafruitsandwitch 