Jeff Michaels - 2 albums: Working For The Enemy / Open Late Night

The maturity in the phrasing and melodic statements are a far cry from lightning fast licks from the early days. "There is a difference between music that coarsely entertains and merely propels a listener versus music that matters on a much deeper level, that truly has the timeless weight of truth, beauty and soul. I want to make music like that. Anything else at this point is inexcusable." As Jeff is now nearly constantly ensconced in his studio, obviously his natural habitat, I sense a level of comfort and ease he evidently hasn't possessed in a long time... I knew him when he was couch surfing his way from gig to gig, skinnier than a toothpick and even though he was in many dire situations by today's standards, he smiled and carried on as if all was perfect; a king of the world, unaware of his royal bloodlines.

With a nearly nonexistent viable music outlet for the music he loves and chooses to explore and an antiquated yet disarming old school studio veteran approach coupled with the liberating freedom of limitless experimentation. He's played thousands of the scrappiest gigs in some of the roughest places in Texas and beyond that you'd ever find yourself, and as a result knows how to throw a hell of a party for even the most hardened listener. After realizing where the endless roadhouses were leading, he made the decision that changed everything. "First, I am going to relax and spend my time with family and friends. Then, I am going to glue myself to the studio whenever possible and I'm going to write, record and mix and I'm not going to stop; that's what I love to do." Little did he realize this would lead to the ultimate musical freedom; "I can play anything I want. I immediately adopted a Becker/Fagan-like philosophy that was essentially "I'll play the stuff I'm best at, then bring in exactly who I want for the rest. Mix it when I'm ready." The happy result is unstoppable. ~Charles E. Crawford -

Album: Working For The Enemy
Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 34:43
Size: 79.5 MB
Styles: Roots, Texas blues
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[4:39] 1. Working For The Enemy
[3:13] 2. Black Water
[3:12] 3. Spread My Wings
[3:41] 4. Cry Out
[5:32] 5. Take A Ride
[4:38] 6. Joe's Garage
[2:33] 7. It's Ok
[7:12] 8. Memories

From the title track "Working for the Enemy", to the most superb house shaking cover of "Black Water" you will ever hear, to the poignancy of "Cry Out", these are classic cuts from the start, and far from mining familiar ground. Jeff Michael's music has the energy to deliver and the soul to pull it off.

Working For The Enemy

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Album: Open Late Night
Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 39:57
Size: 91.4 MB
Styles: Roots, Texas blues
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[5:42] 1. You Got The Money
[7:29] 2. Open Late Night
[5:08] 3. One Last Cheap Cigar
[5:15] 4. Light It Up
[7:36] 5. Might Be The Last
[3:45] 6. Sorry About The Bodies
[4:58] 7. Upper East Side

Open Late Night

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