COMMENTS/REVIEWS
- Uniquely soulful. Enjoyed it very much - Shankar Meganatha
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- Michael is a truly gifted musician! One of a kind. Must catch him playing solo or with his band! He has a couple great albums you must download and buy! Every song is truly amazing! I have been following him for years now. One of my favorite artist and the Michael Ingalls Band is Fantastic 2! - Laura Hicks
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- Don't miss Michael Ingalls! Amazing musician! Cross over country-rock. Rarely do I run across such a talent. Coercing him to gig in Tyler area my dear Texas Tech Alumni Association Tyler Chapter and all in near future hopefully to STANLEY'S. RIGHTEOUS. My press pass is upgraded to all access, YEA! I'm so blessed and grateful to be doing what I was born to do, write and interview musicians, review fine arts, great literature, ballet, theater, etc. CHEERS! Shout out to my editor Sharon Jones the best in the west. - Terri Terrell
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- ALL of it! HE IS OVER THE TOP. YOU HAVE TO SEE HIM IN SMALLER VENUES BEFORE HE PACKS THE GARDEN.
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- Can't wait for the CD release party at PLT on Friday Sept 14! Michael Ingalls is crazy talented!!! - Michelle Patterson
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- Michael Ingalls whether it be rock, country or his idea of pop ;) his music is always a treat. His new CD has been released. See Michael Ingalls Band or Michael Ingalls Music for more info on his shows and merchandise. - Marcia Brandt
Michael Ingalls Review
By Terri Terrell
Running across Michael Ingalls by chance is one of those adventures in music that does not happen very often and is unforgettable. At first blush, it was touted that he’d only been playing for three months. That was mysterious enough to peak the curiosity of this writer and lead me on a journey of sound and fury that’s so rare to find.
What’s to be said about Michael Ingalls, that he’s a tour de force as a songwriter, producer, and master guitarist? That he wrote every note, agonized over every lyric and self-engineered, and self-produced every offering on both his solo cds Digging Up The Roots released in 2016 and Fires Shot from the Past that debuted in 2018.
This great talent did not just stumble out of a bar on 6th Street in Austin, Texas and into our lives by chance. Ingalls has been honing his craft for 32 years. From the time he trounced through his Daddy’s guitar case as a toddler to the sentinel moment when he bought his first guitar a Peavey Patriot with whammy bar Ingalls knew that music and the guitar in particular would be his drug of choice and career. He toured with Stevie Ray Vaughn’s Double Trouble for several years. But don’t let that cloud your impression of his own amazing work product.
Digging Up The Roots is a 7 song cd (you can also buy it as an MP3), this writer had to hear it on 70’s equipment, to fully ingest the richness and layers of sound that comprise these beautiful songs. Ingalls’ darkly complicated riffs and lyrics leave the listener wanting more. This could not be more evident of the songs featured on Digging Up The Roots. These songs three of which are instrumental all lead in one direction: the road. When these songs are playing you want to go somewhere, do something, to just get in the car and drive. In fact this CD now resides in my better half’s automobile with Led Zeppelin II and other favorites. The fabric of Digging Up The Roots is a richly woven tapestry of many colors and textures.
The title track “Digging Up the Roots “ also a must see video, is so compelling in verse and melody stating “You threw a lot of love away on this heartache long ago you keep digging up the roots deep down below, let it go.” And with that chorus all your cares and woes melt away “like an ice cube on a summer day.” This song is so refreshing and universally relatable. But so is everything else on Digging Up the Roots. “Lift Me” indeed lifts us to a place we’ve all been. The solo work and chord progressions are new but familiar, “Move me, squeeze me and drown me, Sink me, you know how to lift me.” “Backside” is an instrumental that features Michael’s very tangible guitar wizardry. His three year study with a jazz guitar teacher is so evident in “Backside.” There are echoes of Spain here and its rich heritage of flamenco. It’s easy to picture yourself in a little bodega drinking glasses of the best the vines offer in some part of sunny Andalusia as you drift away to faraway places and succumb to “Backside.”
“Notice” is catchy and memorable as it declares “here I am putting all of you on notice. What haunts me are your ideas and motives.” What haunts me is Michael Ingalls VOICE. It is instantly recognizable. As you would automatically know if you’re hearing a Tom Petty song by his voice, so would you know you are hearing a Michael Ingalls tune, his voice too is unique. “Swamp Chicken” sounds just as it should, an instrumental for the fun of it. “Spoken” and the lovely “Bessie” finish up this fantastic debut.
Michael Ingalls sophomore release is Fires Shot From the Past. It is a deeply personal journey that doesn’t disappoint. All the songs were written by Ingalls along with all instruments played by Ingalls with programming and vocals performed by Ingalls. “Living on Your Island” is a proclamation of independence, “they say it’s time to grow up and take in on the chin again and again, Then it’s time to pick yourself up and tell ‘em bring it on again. Just keep living on your island.” It hard to wrap your head around the fact that all these maverick chord progressions and intricate sound sculpting originate from one person who did it ALL.
“A Good Time Ain’t Worth You Feelin’ Down” is the ballad every girl wants to hear. “I’m going to make this right somehow” Ingalls promises. And you believe him. You’ll want to slow dance to “My Mistake” it begs you to grab your special someone or anyone that wants to and boot scoot across the floor because “with you I wanna make all my mistakes.”
“Get Around You” is more introspective as “I’m looking through the cracks in my broken glass…stay in the now don’t go too fast.” Its melody and harmonics are so perfectly intermingled you may find it imprinted on your frontal lobe. “Scares The Hell Out of Me” seems penned from the past as Ingalls declares “Shots fired from the past, bridges weren’t meant to last…and that scares the hell out of me.” The rest of Fires Shot from the Past consists of “All I Can Do,” “After the Storm” and “Charlie Brown Rock.” All worthy releases that each stand on their own merit.
What scares the hell out of me is not getting to see Michael Ingalls and Co. LIVE. So far most his live shows are in and around the Austin area but we’re coaxing him to his hometown of Dallas and moreover to do a show in E. Texas hopefully in Tyler. Ingalls band is C.J. Fuson and Scotty Neer. They form an indomitable triune and wave of sound that surrounds your heart and pulls at your heartstrings.
If a single were chosen from Fires Shot From the Past this writer would chose “Built.” It’s irresistible, romantic and definitive. “I just want to be here with you my love and hold you until I wake up.” And all the girls’ hearts melt and legs turn to jelly. But there’s plenty of testosterone here, Ingalls isn’t merely cooing to the girls, his songs are constructed to appeal to both men and women. From the clips and videos seen, it is recommended if you’re on a date guys, take your girls to a Michael Ingalls show, you’ll both love it. And that goes for long time couples and singles too, he’ll put a spark in your step and the energy is so freeing and positive you can’t help but have a good time.
Make sure you check out Michael Ingalls on social media. On Facebook, he’s done some very creative things there including clips from shows, a very cool video on tabs he added to his Telecaster, and other tidbits that will entice you to see and buy Michael Ingalls incredible music. Also subscribe to his YouTube Channel and go to www.michaelingalls.com
to grab more information. On Twitter it’s Mingallsband and he’s on Instagram too. A special shout out to Brenda Hamilton for all the support, and “thanks Mom."