With the recent release of his two new EPs Oh Sedona and How To Fall In Love earlier this year, singer-songwriter Michael McArthur offers up acoustic versions of several songs from his acclaimed 2019 LP Ever Green, Ever Rain and as a bonus adds two brand new songs and a rousing and impassioned cover of Prince’s “Purple Rain”.
The selection and performance of the songs on both EPs serve to highlight McArthur’s superior songwriting skills as well as his richly expressive and emotive voice, which is arguably one of the most charismatic in Americana music right now. That voice, coupled with the minimal instrumentation of the songs raises the intensity level on these musical offerings and underscores the fact that both of these EPs belong on any short list of the best EPs of the year.
The first of the two , Oh Sedona, released in July, includes the moving titular track, which is tribute to his grandmother, the introspective “We Live, We Die,” the aforementioned “Purple Rain,” the stirring “Wild In The Blood,” and the compassion filled “Elaine.”
The second one, How To Fall In Love, released in August, includes the tender “How To Fall In Love”, the affectionate “Warmer Months,” the poignant “Rest’s Unknown,” the touching “A Conversation Before Bed,” and the meditative “‘Ever Green, Ever Rain.”
With the main themes running through the songs being a desire to celebrate the here and now of everyday life, the recognition of the temporary nature of our existence, and how important the people that we love are in our lives, McArthur brilliantly and emotively shines in all of them.
In a summer that will be forever remembered as our first Covid-19 summer, Michael McArthur, one of our most talented singer-songwriters, quietly gave us two brilliant EPs containing messages for all of us. Do yourself a favor, music fans, and listen.
Oh, Sedona and How To Fall In Love from Michael McArthur are available on his website .