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Michael Burgess is a regularly featured artist in Urban Folk.
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<> 'Apple Seeds' - garageband.com - view here <>
Track Of The Week:
Michael Burgess's song, "Apple Seeds" was featured as GarageBand.com's Folk Track and Acoustic Track of the week - July 25th 2005. Only 52 Folk songs receive this award each year.
Track Of The Day:
Featured Track of the day in Acoustic: 7.20.05
Featured Track of the day in Folk: 7.24.05
Sample Review:
"Thinking outside the Folk box: The trouble with genres is that they require a degree of musical conformity if the song is not to defy that all-important market classification. This is particularly apparent with Folk, enshrined as it is in four chord tricks, jangly guitars and sing along choruses. To stray too far beyond these musical confines is to risk criticism of being unfaithful to the genre, or even a reclassification as "Acoustic alternative" or something equally meaningless.
This song is unequivically "folk", though certainly not folk-by-numbers. It has enough individual nuance to distinguish it from the homogeneity of the twanging herd. The guitar is well played and the finger-picking is very competent. The chord progression on the verse is tried and tested (I,iii,IV,I) but the choice of the key F# is unusual and it is the deviations from convention that give this song its identity. For example, I like the 2/4 bar "kick" on the second line of the bridge. This is very subtle and done so well that it doesn't disrupt the flow of the song. Rather it complements the rather conventional chord structure by taking it out of the 4/4 cage. I wish more writers would employ time-signature changes like this.
The introduction of a new chord (E maj) on the post chorus lifts the song slightly and also allows the change back to the "conventional" verse to appear fresh to the ear. These techniques, though simple, are part of good songwriting. Composition is about getting the most from the least..." – MattJohnsonUK
<> 'Sugar Skyline' - garageband.com - view here <>
Track Of The Day:
Featured Track Of the Day in Acoustic: 5.22.05
Best Male Vocals in Acoustic, week of 5.14.05, week of 5.21.05
Sample Reviews:
>> Feel good road trip: This is a truly feel good happy song with a back beat which gets your feet tapping, the song brings road trippin in the US on long roads with the sun on your back and not a care in the world. This is a nice fresh song which is upbeat and leaves the listener in a dreamy haze - rbarrie from Oxfordshi, United Kingdom
>> Hippie Rescue Momento: Performance is downright flawless. Vocals are reminding of Shannon Hoon and Rufus Wainright, two of my faves actually. Man, it's very peaceful and easy to listen too... I can't understand what you guys are doing on this site and not out opening up for the Black Crowes? Overall the song is highly produced and has a complex arrangement that would make Frank Zappa even grin. Your timing is impeccable and the overall talents combined are forming a groove that should be heard all over and liable to be respected by most who like this style… - damien_lucas from Valliant, Oklahoma
>> Unbelievable...: I really like the song. It's like some good old Bob Dylan with a bit more guts on the musical side. Phantastic melody and hook. I bet this song would be very good even in a "conventional" version, but this way (especially with those keys) it is far more interesting. What shall I say about the performance. A phantastic singer, outstanding guitar work, a solid bass and a keyboard player who sometimes seems to play another song alltogether... great. It seems like you've had lots of fun playing this song. A very unique piece of music. Best wishes, T•O•R. - T_O_R from Hamburg, Germany
<> 'Your Feeling Alone' - garageband.com - view here <>
Track Of The Day:
Featured Track of the Day in Acoustic: 5.14.05
Sample Reviews:
>> Newage Oldies: The song caught me right away. Great use of the kit. Unique vocals really seperate this track from so many others that are trying to be as half as good as you guys are. The backing vocals make the chorus pop and the harmonica places a piece of blues in the song. If some of the great musicians from the sixties and seventies were still producing tracks now-a-days, they would sound like this… - stevemillar from Milwaukee, Wisconsin
>> BANG!: Very well done. This is explosive. The drums are great, they seem to add to every strum and low note that the guitar pumps through, and the melodies are truly a work of art. The harmonica and piano, very unexpected and almost paint a picture. vocals seem to be ment for the song. I may have heard things simmular to this song, but it was put together in a very origional way. the parts that pick up are head bobbing, but so are the slower parts! the stumming and picking are both added to very well by the surroundings. - DickJuice from Searsport, Maine
>> Magik Bus: Back to the days when Joplin and Big Brother and the Holding Co..were backing her up...what a great 60's root formula...also reminds me of one of my fav Who songs. (Magic Bus)... the harmonica is very Neil Young or Dead...the vocals are well done with energy and the backing vocals do remind me of the Dead stuff...so all together great vibe with the retro nod...by todays standards in recording this would be considered a little under polished...but with the strong Frisco hooks and the nature of the vibe achieved i think it's a great sunny day song..music really took us away back then to other locals;and bravo for doing what alot of musicians these days can't get right... - Blueberry666 from 1818 Lane, Connecticut