Michael Knott

Item: Comatose Soul
Author: Trae Cadenhead

Comatose Soul

(2002)

Reviewed by Trae Cadenhead

Discogs Bandcamp

Label Blonde VinylThe Phantom Tollbooth2002

alternative rock singer-songwriter

A long time veteran of rock music, both Christian and secular, independent and with record labels, Michael Knott has been through good times and bad and rode the peaks of popularity both ways. Through it all, Knott has continued to release more albums, never stopping to rest. Knott's latest release Comatose Soul is the best he has put out in several years.

On Comatose Soul, Michael Knott feels like a reinvigorated musician. Perhaps this is due to the fact that he has recently recovered from alcoholism. Comatose Soul definitely contains much more clarity in the songwriting than Knott's songs have seen in a long time making the album one of his better releases.

Comparisons to the 1995 album Fluid are destined to arise--and it's relatively easy to see why. The music on Comatose Soul hearkens back to the sound of Fluid, yet also maintains enough originality and accessibility to set it apart from that album. The songs on Comatose Soul don't go together to tell a story as they did on Fluid and thus don't maintain quite the cohesive feel that comes from what I consider to be Knott's best album.

The songs mostly deal with people and relationships. Each track on Comatose Soul needs to be taken in on its own and for the most part each song holds up quite well. "Pusher" looks at a friendship that is pushing the protagonist away. On the oddly structured chorus Knott sings, "So if you don't want me to jump off this cliff I think you better do something about it. I need something more than a talking hand. More than sympathy, understand?" The song "Finding Angel" has a happy tone to it musically, but lyrically it ends up telling a rather sad tale. The relationship of the music to the tale is almost a kind of metaphor for how as a society we try to paint over the atrocities that occur amongst us daily. The title track "Comatose Soul" is likely the strongest song on the album. On it Knott laments for a troubled friend, "I wish I had hands to heal this life. And I wish I had strings to tie this comatose soul."

"Cruisin' Ride" and "Pop Goes the World" make the departure from the lyrical norm of the album to exemplify cynicism of people who think they have it all together. Though this departure provides very little lyrical depth, it does provide opportunity for jam sessions, a liberty that Michael Knott songs have always taken throughout the years.

Comatose Soul is full of good songs and a few great songs. It is a solid album, but lacks the common thread to make it great. Still, keep an eye on Michael Knott, his best days in music could still be ahead of him.

4 tocks