Michael Engberg- Collage and Collidoscope
by John Christen
Michael Engberg’s double album, Collage and Collidoscope, is a tale of two cities. Collage is a man and his acoustic guitar sitting in a European coffee shop, possibly Spain or Italy, serenading passerby’s with orthodox classical offerings. The traditional wordless arrangements tend to the listener’s imagination and calm the senses, lending to insightful perspectives. Fernando Sor’s “Etude in B minor, Opus 35, no.22” and “Le Soleil Se Coucher En Paris” are solid arrangements.
Collidoscope offers playful satirical content in the style of Cat Stevens or Randy Newman; however, it is a jumble of county fair songs. “Old Lady Shaley” is an upbeat number about an old lady who scoops up neighborhood pets and turns them into jackets, stews, and other assorted edibles. “Rabbit and Bear” is a lovely duet. Perhaps trying too hard, the compilations feel stressed and hollow like a vanilla custard lacking spices.
Online: manyhatsmusic.com
Category: asides2
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