Michelle Lewis: This Time Around

Maybe I'm a sucker for a beautiful face; maybe I'm a sucker for a woman and an acoustic guitar; or maybe I just like music. Any which way, I really dig on this album.

Growing up, my mother (and by extension, me) listened to many guitar samplers from Windham Hills and Narada, so I truly appreciate the simplicity and complexity present when an artist uses only two instruments: their voice and their guitar.

Lewis and her sometimes-present band craft some beautiful tunes, most notable, in my mind, is Never Cried For You, where she's joined by a simple drum kit, stand up bass, and a horn, most likely a muted trumpet. It's got such an infectious beat, and voice just finish the grab for your ears.

She "pops out" ever so slightly on "Searching for Something," the tune that would come closest to a radio hit, but also is the least impressive on the disc. Interesting how that manages to be the way with good musicians.

Great tracks include Caroline, San Francisco Bay, and Had You Once.

In the end: For the folk/acoustic rock people, this is a no-brainer, and you should follow links off of http://www.myspace.com/michellelewis immediately. If you can enjoy music that is simple and complex at the same time, give this a go. If you have no musical taste at all, why are you reading this?