Sledgehammer

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Human Life is bookended with perfect piteous and melancholic impact. In the wonderfully emotionally-drenched opener Michael gets straight to the nub, “Oh universe, what to do with this brain / I don’t wanna know the sunshine from the rain again… Show me somewhere that I can belong.” ‘New Shoots’, Getting Up’ and in particular ‘Porcelain’ are album highlights, all sung with incredibly passionate fragility and backed by perfect, simple guitar. These songs are far more than sad ballads, as well as hitting the senses hard they are brilliantly melodic and impeccably performed. 

If there is one over-riding theme to be taken away from Human Life it’s Michael’s despairing need yet ever-hopeful search for love. Closing track ‘Life Without Love’ is a stunning and intense finale, gone is the perfectly beautiful tone, in its place is more pain, more hurt, more despair… 

“I’ve spent the best years of this life / just trying to find some peace of mind/ for all this trouble all this time / I need a reason why” 

“Oh Lord send me down some hope / send it down from above / and Lord your greatest crime of all / is life without love” 

Human Life is a deep voyage into one man’s inner turmoil and despair. It’s sensitive, affecting, and amongst the search for love and reassurance shines brightly a magnificently ethereal album full of hope. 

Tony Foster.

Sledgehammer

Michael Rattray