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12.13.06
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For your in-laws, when you want to seem classy: Mike Massey, "The Present," Spike Records
Local pianist Mike Massey does some elegant interpretations of "true-meaning-of-Christmas" holiday faves ("God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," "Silent Night," and "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear") for solo piano, all skillful versions that let the power of the melodies shine through. There are also two original instrumentals -- the title track is meant to evoke a soldier home from the war on Christmas Eve, while "Snowshine" is a gorgeous track perfect for a still winter's afternoon. This is one Christmas CD you won't mind listening to until the thaw comes.
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5.18.05
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“...Massey, enjoying his role as stay-at-home dad, wrote the songs that comprise “Be Careful How You Say Pianist” at home, mixed them at Randy Green’s recording studio in Cottage Grove, and put them on a back burner until this past Christmas, when he played the songs for friends whose opinions he respected and they encouraged him to release them.“
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 Massey, Michael: The Present
“Listening to The Present, a mesmerizing 70-minute disc of instrumental-piano holiday music, it’s hard to believe that multi-instrumentalist Michael Massey was once an early-'80s hard rocker (his Wisconsin-based band Chaser cut a demo for Atlantic Records and competed on Ed McMahon's Star Search). Or that he released an award-winning, well-honed and downright brilliant collection of Bowie-esque pop nuggets in 2005 called Attack of the Delicious.
Instead, on The Present, Massey offers warm, elegant and often delicate piano interpretations of 11 traditional holiday favorites (and even an Advent classic with “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”), plus two originals. The title track, according to Massey’s liner notes, musically tells the tale of a soldier making an unexpected return home from war in the midst of a family holiday gathering, while “Snowshine” conjures images of pristine, moonlit snow. Surprisingly, one of the most effective piano treatments here is of a song about a drum. On “The Little Drummer Boy,” Massey’s left hand keeps a staccato rhythm while his right hand plays the fluid melody. Throughout, his style is crisp and light, the arrangements respectful and well-paced.
The Present is, indeed, a gift — a subdued holiday treat that makes the perfect soundtrack for a peaceful, stay-at-home evening.
Added: December 19th 2006
Reviewer: Michael Popke
Score: 
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Cover story
Local album art ranges from striking to sad
by Michael Popke on Thursday 11/02/2006
“...I think artists can get complacent, making the art secondary to the music and just rushing that aspect of a project,” says longtime Madison musician Michael Massey, whose eye-popping cover for Attack of the Delicious borrows from B horror-movie posters. “The cover should be just as important as the music...”
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Mike Massey
