Michaelangelo

Michaelangelo’s One Voice Many (originally released in 1971) may not be the unearthed gem of the year but that doesn’t make it anything less than a very pretty hippie folk artefact. The band’s simple, straightforward musical style seems uncharacteristic of their era (and surprising, given the gaudy floral and paisley threads the band members sport on their album cover) but it works. Their songs are no-frills roots pop, without pretence or gimmick (aside from a very nicely blended autoharp). The guitar solos are clean but not sterile and the chord progressions are pleasant and uncomplicated; the singers can sing, and they don’t overdo it. The album’s only inconsistency is its several instrumentals; though they sound good enough, the band’s simple approach to the music of their time renders the open-ended song format redundant. One Voice Many is a nice summer album; it’s dreamy and pastoral but not so cheesy that the average contemporary listener couldn’t enjoy it.