If, like most of us, you’ve ever had a boss, when things are slow they’ve probably told you “You should never just be sitting, there’s always something you could be doing…” “Sitting” for you might be surfing the internet, calling a friend, writing a poem, or playing a game — one should always start “sitting” the moment the boss steps out the door. For Michael Angelo (née Michael Angelo Nigro), this meant recording an unassuming set of mellow psychedelic gems.
As the story goes, Michael Angelo worked by day as a session musician in a small Kansas City studio and recorded these tracks in his down time. Lush, naive, colorful, angelic, the songs have none of the punk aggression sweeping music when this was recorded in 1977, but rather than behind the times, the songs feel timeless. Short by “psych” standards, most of the tracks clock in at three minutes or less. At times they do indeed sound like they were recorded in short, spare moments, but not the spare moments that are forgotten, rather the moments filled with the small joys of quotidian life, love letters delivered anonymously, or secrets hastily whispered into the listener’s ear.
Rumors and name-drops about this album have always existed in greater quantity than actual opportunities to listen. Perhaps you downloaded the album years ago, but also downloaded several dozen other super-rare psych masterpieces at the same time, and in the end just found yourself listening to Drake all day.
Fortunately, Anthology Recordings has Michael Angelo’s self-titled album lined up as their next reissue, their first of a 2015 that looks to build on the solid foundation they laid for themselves in 2014. I’m always reluctant to buy Anthology Recordings releases, because the content is often so smokin’ hot that my smoke alarm is triggered by what comes out of my speakers, and it’s more than mere paranoia when I express a concern that this Michael Angelo reissue may literally set my record needle on fire. But it’s a risk I’m willing to take. Scope the track below, and you’ll see what I mean:
The reissue drops on vinyl, CD, and digitally on April 28. Check Anthology HQ for pre-order information.
• Anthology Recordings: http://www.anthologyrecordings.com
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