Michale Graves – Illusions live Viretta Park

Releasedate: 27-03-2009; Label: Screamcrow (Soulfood Music)
By: Nina Mende

Michale Graves, is an American singer/songwriter. He is most famous for singing for the late 1990s re-incarnation of The Misfits, from 1995 to 1998 and again from late 1998 until late 2000. He also played in several other projects during the years. In January of 2005 Michale Graves inked a deal to record and release his first solo record, launching the brand new independent record label Horror High Records. A national tour followed as “Punk Rock is Dead” became an underground classic.
He has many albums released by now, solo as well as with MISFITS.

As the album title already says, it is a live album, with Michale Graves on acoustic guitar and acoustic guitar only. He has a wonderful voice fitting perfectly well to the acoustic sound of the guitar. It is also very amazing to hear songs like “Fiend Club”, “Beware” or “One Million Light Years” on acoustic. Michale comments on some songs, for example does he say as beginning to play “Butchershop” that it’s like walking through an old creepy house. My favorite is “Crying On A Saturday Night”. This song seems like it is meant to be performed that way. All songs are played calm and slow, so completely different of the versions we know. During the show you can hear one fan scream “I love you” and Michale simply replies “I love you back”. It sounds like a very peaceful and quiet performance, probably with a seated audience. This album is next to Papa Roach my favorite album of 2009 so far. I am still totally amazed by the fact how amazing all these songs sound on acoustic guitar only, sung slowly and calm by Michale. And I am quite sure that if I had been at that show tears would have come streaking down my face, not only because I am a die hard MISFITS fan but also it is such a gorgeous album with such an amazing warm and loving atmosphere.

The album is not only a must for all the MISFITS fans.

Tracklist: 1. Blackbird 2. Fiend Club 3. Almost home 4. Beware 5. Gorch 6. Butchershop 7. Ophelia 8. Shining 9. Lucifer I am 10. Wormwood 11. Casket 12. You awful me 13. One million light years from here 14. Frost bite 15. Nothing 16. Scream 17. Crying on Saturday night 18. Blackbird 19. The best of me 20. A generation coming down 21. Locked away 22. The eternal haunting 23. Viretta park

Links:
Michale Graves MySpace
Michale Graves Official