Michael McDermott - 620 W. Surf (2022)

Michael McDermott's deep, throaty vocal tone calls to mind Bruce Springsteen, and in some places he even sounds as if he might be attempting an impression of the Boss. If his debut album, 620 W. Surf, doesn't quite equal Springsteen in the maturity and depth of its songwriting, it does demonstrate considerable promise. McDermott's acoustic-based roots rock, which employs heavy doses of harmonica, organ, and piano (including a guest performance by another famous Bruce -- Hornsby), yields some memorable tunes. The lead single, "A Wall I Must Climb," is particularly strong. McDermott's introspective lyrics focus on spiritual issues, specifically the struggle with faith in the midst of life's difficulties. At times, they can be quite insightful. They're enhanced by Don Gehman's sparse production, which gives the feel of one of McDermott's Chicago coffeehouse performances; on "Death in the Autumn Air," Gehman even includes a smattering of audience applause. The arrangements throughout the record are very effective, and are generally enhanced by McDermott's passionate vocals, though his occasional vocal excesses can become grating and interfere with the introspective tone of his songs. 620 W. Surf provided a strong foundation on which McDermott would build on later albums. ~ Evan Cater