Michael McDermott – Lighthouse On The Shore/East Jesus (Pauper Sky)

Chicago’s Michael McDermott has been making records for more than 30 years with no signs of slowing down. In fact, he’s just released two full-length albums.

Listening to music is like anything else…it’s all about context and perspective. How you feel about what you’re hearing may be determined by any number of seemingly random events…what the weather is like, that dream you had last night, a film you just saw on Netflix, even what you had for dinner.

I returned to Michael McDermott’s new album(s) after paying tribute to the recently deceased Kris Kristofferson by listening to his Silver Tongued Devil And I album. Side two sets the tone with Loving Her Was Easier, The Taker, When I Loved Her, The Pilgrim and finally, Epitaph…some of the best songs ever written by one of the finest to ever put pen to paper.

Don’t worry, I’m not going to go on a rant about how nothing on McDermott’s two albums could come close to measuring up to Kristofferson’s best.

That would be unfair, foolish and untrue.

What happened was that, somehow Kristofferson’s voice informed how I heard the 20 songs that make up these two albums. It made me understand that, somehow, they were coming from the same place, a place that had also been visited by the likes of Steve Goodman, John Prine and even a guy who calls himself Dylan.

Why are there two albums?

Well, Lighthouse On The Shore is the  ”quiet” record, while East Jesus is “the loud one”.

But really, they are two sides of the same coin.

McDermott’s songwriting is solid throughout both records…actually that’s an understatement.

There is a reason these songs hold their own against Kris Kristofferson’s…they are very, very good. And Michael’s voice is one you believe when you hear him sing lines like, ‘These days are getting harder, My heart is growing harder, I thought that I was smarter… What a fool I am’.

Just dipping your toe into the first three or four songs that start off Lighthouse On The Shore and you know you’re in for something special. Not only is the songwriting and singing stellar, but the musical accompaniment is just about perfect.

The Lighthouse players are Will Kimbrough (guitar/banjo/mandala), Heather Lynne Horton (fiddle/vocals) Matt Thompson (upright and electric bass), John Deaderick (keys) and Katie Burns (cello).

Note…no drums yet, but the band does add Steven Gilles on percussion for East Jesus along with guitarist Grant Tye.

I won’t bore you with a track-by-track rundown…they are all worthy of your attention with Goddamnit Lovely, Hey La Hey, Quicksand and Charlie Brown among my favourites.

But that could change tomorrow…after all, it’s all about context and perspective.

Marty Duda