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Differential Productions |
Nishi no Densetsu
Available 5/30/2019
Bandcamp/iTunes/Spotify
Synopsis By Charlie Sullivan
As fan of Michael Zucker, you're always in for a surprise when he drops some new tracks. The prolific singer/songwriter/instrumentalist’s soon to be released Nishi no Densetsu is, in this writer’s estimation, no casual affair; Zucker has laid his soul bare on this album. The release is a deeply personal retrospective of his life to date; the birth of a daughter, the loss of a good friend, traumatic events he’s faced since moving west, coping with mortality. Zucker lays it all out there without becoming self-obsessed.
The album title takes its roots in Anime and the gaming world; Japanese translation, Nishi (West) no Densetsu (Legend, Tradition, Folklore). Some of you, likely, still remember the Anime great Zelda no Densetsu: Inishie no Sekiban episodes 1- 4. The music on this release takes its roots in Zucker’s heart and soul. “I bled emotionally, physically and psychologically to complete this album,” said Zucker. The music tends to rock a little more than Zucker’s usual fare, but, his prog roots are ever present.
Zucker stated, “The style and tone of the album are somewhat different than I’ve done in the past.” The music relies more on the piano to carry the rhythm than any of the albums Zucker’s released in the past. Zucker’s vocals are stellar, he’s so emotional, he should use this aspect of his talents more often, it adds so much depth and quality to the music.
A few of the standout tracks are “I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead”, an emotional rollercoaster ride. “Everyones Alone” (and a truer statement there isn’t, ultimately, we come into this world alone and we leave it alone, one’s life and death are a very personal matter, we only die once, but we live every day). The song builds slowly with the piano and by the end of the song the guitars are in full stride. “Aquarius” is a beautiful piano rocker that you can’t get out of your head. “Bug”, this writer’s favorite track, is just a great track, a song about just being there for the people in your life.
From beginning to end, the album is a satisfying piece of work. Zucker’s music continues to evolve in new directions. I’m somewhat biased when it comes to Zucker’s music, I keep a lot of it on my playlists, but this album flat out impressed me. He’s danced around some of the subject matter on this album in the past and with this release dives feat first into an emotional maelstrom that lets the listener into the artists life. Keep them coming Michael, keep them coming.
Contact: Michael Zucker | differentialproductions@gmail.com | 717.623.0900