For some, it is still amazing that good and robust bluegrass
and country music can be found above the Mason-Dixon Line.
To that end, the efforts of Michael Van & The Movers keep
making that amazement evolve into true appreciation. The
five man group fronted by Van make San Francisco, California
home and have enjoyed a steady flow of success and admiration
for their music as they’re done numerous dates around the
country.
Their latest album, A Little More Country, sets out to let
listeners sink deeper into their sound as one would do in
a tranquil pool on a sweltering day. Van’s singing and acoustic
skills display a malleable knack, one that shines through
on a track like “Skedaddle Mountain Lullaby”. The song
is wistful, with traces of the same solemnity you’d get from
a Waylon Jennings number. The other members have
ample moments where their contributions enhance the
overall feel of the album. For example, Bob Skye on
harmonica gives a rousing performance on the ode “Pretty
Penny”. On this album, the band does show a measure
of flexibility, with “Juanita” being one of those tracks
one can easily hear blaring through the speakers of a
tropical bar. A Little More Country, as expressed by Van,
was meant to be a return more to the positive and simple
roots that made music be that much more of a connecting
spirit. One can say that this effort is a big step towards
that. The album can be found on their Bandcamp page.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvucjDocdrmulRbxzrw0WZQ
https://www.reverbnation.com/michaelvanband
https://www.facebook.com/MichaelVanAndTheMovers/