Released July 10, 2007

If you’re looking for a CD that you can put on while you sit in a nice comfy chair and let the stress of the day melt away…then this is it.

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MINOR 7th REVIEW

For some, the guitar road leads from the solitary to the ensemble. For Michael Mucklow, years of playing, learning, and developing as a musician with other players led him to exploring the instrument on his own terms. With the release of “The View From Here”, his second solo project, Mucklow plays songs that require the listener to stop and take in each note, each phrase, each idea. You can tell that these songs come from some place deep within, extending who Mucklow is and presenting it to us as a sort of offering we gladly accept. All of the songs are aided by a generous dose of reverb, which gives Mucklow a richer, fuller sound. The playing is neither flashy nor overdone, but sometimes almost bare in its approach, and for these songs, it works well. There are 11 tracks in all. “Phosphor” builds from a simple fingerpicked melody line to a rhythmic dance accompanied by a percussion track. “Mysterium” is a dark, haunting piece which wafts over the listener, drawing you into its slow movement. The early sky seeps into view on “Color of the Morning”. “The View From Here” ends with the happy “Convertible”, leaving you with a light, refreshed feeling. Michael Mucklow gives us a warm, solid offering of solo guitar music on this disc, music you can listen to.
~ © Kirk Albrecht

Album Notes

This is my first full-fledged solo Fingerstyle guitar album. Well, okay, some songs have more than one guitar. 🙂 And the last song, Convertible, has percussion.

The song Balm appeared in episode 5 of the Netflix series Bloodline. That was a treat to hear!

Credits

All songs composed by
Michael Mucklow

Graphic Design
Claudia Hamilton
Desertmoon Arts

Copyright Michael Mucklow / ASCAP
Publisher Mucklow Productions / ASCAP

Gear Used

Guitars:  Walden G2070, Walden N550CE, Cort Earth 900, Tacoma Thunderhawk BMC6
Mic:  Rode NT1-A
Recorder:  Roland VS-2000CD

Song Stories

Pipes Canyon Sunset
Not too far from where I live there is an awesome area called Pipes Canyon. One particular day the sunset there captured me enough to become a song.

Phosphor
Light. Light within us all. Light that we can use to help one another.

Mysterium

Released
Oh, to be free of these earthly chains!

Color Of The Morning
Sunrise in the desert can be phenomenal. Another instance of being captured by the beauty and inspired into song.

Balm

Tears Of The Wind

The Tenderness Of The Heart
I said some harsh words to my wife, then headed off into my music room. This song came almost immediately when I sat to play one of my guitars. I believe it was a personal message to remind me of the fragility of a person’s heart.

The Human Drama
Life is a path of ups and downs, seemingly good and seemingly bad. This song tries to interpret that path with its melancholy and lightness of spirit.

Waterflow
Gently floating down a tree shaded stream soaking in the rays of sunlight that break through. Communing with the elements of nature.

Convertible
Open road. Top down. Sunny day.