“Death By Sunshine” is the latest release from Buffalo, New York’s very own Michael Lee Jackson. Singer, songwriter, guitarist, photographer and lawyer, Jackson is a multifaceted man who makes multifaceted music. The album is filled with layers of melodic instrumentation and vocals to match. MLJ has a folky way of telling stories and his musical compositions on this rock album are a well blended concoction of lots of bluesy guitar riffs, a splash of glam and plenty of ’70s funk vibes. Lyrically, the topics are relatable and as you might infer from the name of the album and a few song titles, some humor is included too.
The first song, “Feets on the Ground,” appropriately kicks this album off to a catchy start. The funk groove, horn section and “fun”ky play on words makes “Funk You” a song you’ll want to sing. A bass note opens “Room With a View” and a dissonant drum beat finishes it off, showcasing the diversity of MLJ.
The production quality of this album is top notch with terrific background vocal harmonies and incredible guitar tone. While Geno McManus handles background vocals on much of the album, Jennifer Forbes adds soulful harmonies to “I Won’t Fight” and “Road to Salvation.” In fact, “Road to Salvation” is not to be missed as Forbes provides soaring and soulful vocals with bluesy hollers reminiscent of Janis Joplin. “One More” features a standout Deep Purple-y keyboard melody and the final track “Instru Mental” has a guitar-over-guitar sound that is definitely big and beautiful.
“Death by Sunshine” is versatile and fun. Give it a listen, or three (hundred). You’ll hear more each time!
