Florida-bred soul-pop singer Michael McArthur is set to release his debut LP Magnolia next month, but you can stream the title track right here at Exclaim! before the album arrives.
Using his soulful voice to deliver honest, gritty emotion through his music, McArthur's sound encompasses influences from genres across the board. Borrowing inspiration from blues, soul, pop, country, folk and even hip-hop influences, his voice provides the perfect bridge between the selection of sounds.
"With Magnolia, I wanted to create the most honest listening experience I could," he said in a statement about the new album. "No fluff, no distraction, just raw emotion and soul. We used all real instruments and organic sound, and recorded most of it live as a band to capture plenty of the human element. I felt this approach was best suited for the lyrics. These songs are the sight glass to my life. A glimpse to the most personal parts of me. It's not easy being so honest though. You've got to cut yourself open for the world to see and hope everybody's ok with it."
"Magnolia" itself blends bluesy guitars with McArthur's falsetto croons, resulting in a sultry, swoon-inducing, soul-pop single. "We've all been addicted to someone. Like a drug," said McArthur, speaking about the song. "'Magnolia' is that person who gets you the highest high and the lowest low. The poison and the antidote."
The album of the same name arrives on April 7, but you can listen to the title tune below right now.
You can pre-order the album on iTunes here.
Using his soulful voice to deliver honest, gritty emotion through his music, McArthur's sound encompasses influences from genres across the board. Borrowing inspiration from blues, soul, pop, country, folk and even hip-hop influences, his voice provides the perfect bridge between the selection of sounds.
"With Magnolia, I wanted to create the most honest listening experience I could," he said in a statement about the new album. "No fluff, no distraction, just raw emotion and soul. We used all real instruments and organic sound, and recorded most of it live as a band to capture plenty of the human element. I felt this approach was best suited for the lyrics. These songs are the sight glass to my life. A glimpse to the most personal parts of me. It's not easy being so honest though. You've got to cut yourself open for the world to see and hope everybody's ok with it."
"Magnolia" itself blends bluesy guitars with McArthur's falsetto croons, resulting in a sultry, swoon-inducing, soul-pop single. "We've all been addicted to someone. Like a drug," said McArthur, speaking about the song. "'Magnolia' is that person who gets you the highest high and the lowest low. The poison and the antidote."
The album of the same name arrives on April 7, but you can listen to the title tune below right now.
You can pre-order the album on iTunes here.
