Reviewed by Ben Martin

Atlanta.-based Micah is a rare breed, someone gifted with a soulful voice, strong musical gifting and lyrical ability but who is also able to put down his ideas in writing. In the case of 'Pawn Shop' this manifests itself in the form of a short story with each chapter referring to a song from the album; this is a daring move which has paid off immensely. Kicking off with the immediately catchy "We Could Take The Backroads", the soul and groove is not lost, and when the tempo is increased for "Rev Ramshack Run" the hooks just keep coming. Mellow or poppy, Micah never loses his soul, his flawless blending of genres creates arrangements which can only be described as beautiful to hear. Many of us only occasionally refer to liner notes for lyrics but in the case of 'Pawn Shop', Micah has substituted words for the short story and ink drawings which introduce us to the character "Pawn Shop" who is on a journey of self-discovery. All this allows the listener to explore the characters created by Micah which does not normally happen, even with some concept albums. 'Pawn Shop' will have you transfixed from beginning to end and beyond. With beautiful instrumentation, Micah has created an engrossing and hugely original sound. Highly recommended - 'Pawn Shop' will surprise, move and inspire.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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