Michelle Lewis - All That’s Left

  by Malcolm Carter

published: 26 / 11 / 2018

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Review

It’s been four years since Bostonian Michelle Lewis released her second album, ‘The Parts of Us That Still Remain’ an album that shines as brightly today as it did on the first listen. Now residing in Los Angeles, Michelle’s blend of folk and pop was given an extra layer on that album courtesy of the production and playing skills of Anthony J. Resta. While, armed with her acoustic guitar, Michelle is more than capable of keeping a live audience captivated during one of her many gigs, due to the fact that here we have a guitarist and singer that offers so much more than most of her contemporaries (Michelle was educated at the Berklee College Of Music and it shows), it’s those little extra production touches and sounds that Resta and his associate Karyadi Sutedja lend to Michelle’s recording that also help her music stand proudly above anything else around these days. Michelle and Resta play the majority of the instruments on ‘All That’s Left’; Cameron Stone adds cello to a handful of songs and bass to one, Nate Gonzalez’s accordion makes an appearance on a few tracks and Ruslan Sirota lends piano to ‘How’. Michelle and Resta make all the other sounds, apart from Robby Hecht who has two co-writes with Michelle on the album and sings on one of the songs. And what a sound it is! Those who are lucky enough to have heard Michelle Lewis before will be aware that while the majority of her songs are what can be termed as sad songs she has the ability for the listener to feel happy while listening to her tales of love, loss and longing. Listening to Michelle Lewis is an emotional journey for sure but a more than pleasant one. This very magazine noted that there were touches of Nanci Griffith coupled with a sprinkling of the fragile shades of certain Scandinavian vocalists in Michelle’s vocals on her last album and this still rings true at times throughout ‘All That’s Left’. But it’s a voice that is irresistible, honest and totally believable. It’s as though Michelle has lived through each line in her songs. That’s just one of the attractions; there’s Michelle’s lyrical skills, each song is a little story set to one of her immediately appealing melodies and the listener will recognize many of the situations that Michelle describes in her songs. Then there’s her fingerpicked style of playing that we don’t hear so much of just now. When all this is coupled with the contributions from Resta and Sutedja, the results are simply staggering. If there’s a fault with ‘All That’s Left’ it’s that it only features seven new solo Michelle Lewis originals. There are two co-writes with Robby Hecht and the track that he shares vocals on, ‘In Love Again’, although eventually revealing itself as an easy equal to the rest of the songs on offer, initially seems out of place. It feels slightly jarring to hear a male voice taking lead vocals suddenly when you’ve been wrapped in Michelle’s comforting tones for half an album. But thankfully a couple of plays later and it all makes sense and it becomes an essential part of the album. The tenth cut is, surprisingly, a cover of Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Dancing in the Dark’. It’s probably the most inspired take on a Springsteen song you’ve heard so far. Without losing any trace of the original melody it was only the familiarity of the opening lyrics that made this listener realise I was, in fact, listening to ‘Dancing in the Dark’. Michelle has slowed the song down, there’s a haunting sound that prevails throughout it and the final verse is simply spine chilling. The production is simply stunning, Michelle’s vocals sound world-weary, and the whole team has taken the song to places that it certainly hasn’t been before. There’s no doubt that Michelle Lewis doesn’t have to resort to covering songs by other artists as she has proven time and time again that her own songs leave most of the competition in the shade, but if this interpretation is any indication of what this talented musician can do with other artists' songs then bring on that covers album. The atmosphere that is created by the opening cut, ‘That’s What They Say’, is remarkable. Sounds weave in and out under Michelle’s longing vocals and produce a soundscape which perfectly match her reflective vocal style, which is then carried through the whole album. Michelle has mentioned in the past that she writes sad songs that make you happy and there really is no better description of her music. Some of the songs are obviously very personal to Michelle. ‘Scars’ was inspired by her late grandmother and tells her story. Michelle draws you, the listener, a stranger, into her story so successfully that by the end you feel that you’ve watched a movie than just listened to a song. Once again the production from Resta and Michelle is superb. “Hit the light switch on your way out/There’s nothing more for me to see/I should be dying any day now, if it were up to me/I wear the same clothes every day now/Just sit and stare at the TV…” sad words indeed but they will touch so many who have been left behind when a loved one is lost. Somehow, and this is but one of Michelle’s talents, she has the ability to still leave the listener with hope. Maybe it’s that voice. ‘Push On’ for which there is a cool video on the usual platforms, and which is one of the co-writes with Robby Hecht, is another song where Michelle offers hope. It’s surprising how a song can actually inspire us to carry on fighting even during the darkest periods. ‘Please Don’t Go’ is another song about losing someone close. A gorgeous melody and heartbreaking lyrics make this song shine just that little more brightly than the other little gems on ‘All That’s Left’. From “this can’t be all the time I get with you/But the doctors say there’s nothing they can do…don’t listen to what he’s been telling you…this ain’t the first mistake that God has made” to “I’d gladly give you a few of my years” it ranks up there with the best that Michelle has written. If Michelle Lewis had never written another song after ‘Paris’, ‘Breakfast At Tiffany’s’ (not that one), ‘Run, Run, Run’ or ‘None of That Now’ she would have still contributed more to music than many of those who have a higher profile that she currently does. Her music touches people. Her sad songs (and not all she writes are tinged with sadness) do leave the listener with hope and happiness. As brilliant as those older songs are this latest collection finds Michelle reaching new heights. There’s not a wasted moment on ‘All That’s Left’ just beautiful, thoughtful music from a musician who, surely, one day soon will get the recognition she so rightly deserves. There is so much to love about ‘All That’s Left’ just give it a try. It’s not only one of the best albums of 2018. This writer has been listening to and buying music for over five decades and ‘All That’s Left’ is in my all-time top ten.

Track Listing:-

1 That's What They Say
2 All That's Left
3 Push On
4 Dancing in the Dark
5 How
6 In Love Again
7 Scars
8 You and Me
9 Please Don't Go
10 Lay on My Pillow

Band Links:-

https://www.facebook.com/MichelleLewis
http://michellelewismusic.com
https://twitter.com/michellelewis
https://instagram.com/michellelewismus