Customer Reviews

Trace the Sky

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Trace the Sky is the culmination of Michael Tomlinson's previous work...forever inspiring, uplifting and soothing with beautiful, resonant melodies, sophisticated compositions and lyrics that seem to be written just for you. I can't stop playing this cd. His music is a rare gift and a true treasure.

I don't know what to call Michael's music, except beautiful. His great melodies are accompanied by words of true compassion, love and understanding from the heart of someone who has experienced the full range of human emotions. You know that he cares about us all, individually and collectively, and it is powerful, healing music for me. He truly deserves our support as he integrates his work with his values, sacrificing what would have been sure stardom had he stayed in the "system", and choosing instead to produce this wonderful work on his own label. Check out his website. You can order all 7 of his cds from him.

If you like Jackson Browne, Jesse Colin Young, J.D. Souther, James Taylor - you'll dig anything by Michael Tomlinson. An artist who has refused to "sell out", he really doesn't typecast into any limited radio airplay category. "Trace The Sky" may be his best CD yet- although M.T. friends may disagree. Michael has a great voice, writes straight from his heart - and sings melodic, heartfelt, windswept spiritual stuff... This CD flows like a river- as does much of his work. Michael is one of those musicians that you never grow tired of. Sincerely- M.D. Witt

Sadly, over the course of the years, I think Michael Tomlinson ran out of things to sing about - every single song on this album sounds the same and is full of forced, tired lyrics. It is a huge dissapoint to me, because I discovered Michael on an Alaskan radio station one night in 1986 on the way down the Knik Arm, heading through the darkness to a single house up ahead in the distance where I was meeting friends. The song "Yellow Windows" came on just as I turned the corner to see the warmth of the lights inside the house beckoning to me as smoke swirled up from the chimney into the chilly Alaskan night. Where did songs like that go? Not since "Living Things" (and a few on that album could be tossed out) has Michael done anything daring musically or lyrically like he did on "Waves" from "Run This Way Forever".
My advice to Michael - go back to the wild for 3 months, camp out under the stars, clear your head, and give us something you like you did back in the 80's

I thoroughly enjoyed the earlier MT work "Face up in the Rain" and expected an even more mature and complex work in this offering. I was sadly disappointed. The entire work is in a single bouncy, happy, tiresome tempo with lyrics that I'd expect from a youngster like Jewel. It's going in the "to be sold" stack. I'll keep "Face Up..."