[ALBUM REVIEW] Mike Isberto “More in Love”

Mike Isberto is a young singer/songwriter hailing from Southern California. His new album “More in Love” is set for release on July 30 of this year and HypnoticAsia was given the chance to review the album before it’s official release in July! Mike lists some of his inspirations as James Taylor, Bob Dylan, and various other folk artists and those influences are very evident in this new album. “More in Love” is a soulful album filled with cleverly written songs about love.

Track 1:A favorite track on the album is “True North.” The song references “True North” or the North Star as a metaphor for the person who makes you feel at home. A lyric that stands out is, “With you I’m never getting lost,”  in it’s simplicity still manages to carry the theme of the song but is so honest and romantic it’s hard not to be impressed with the song writing.

Track 2: The song “I Can’t Sleep” is about being without the one you love but is a more upbeat than the next song, “Lullaby Rain.” The lyrics to “I Can’t Sleep” are romantic and Mike delivers breathy vocals in the right places giving this track an appropriately dreamy quality.

Track 3: Another notable track on the album is “Lullaby Rain.” While most of the album is very hopeful and romantic this song is about loss and grief. This song is very mellow and slow and possibly the slowest on the album. The lyrics are beautiful and his voice captures the meaning of the song and draws you in.

Track 4: The next track on the album “More In Love” is the song “Highway One.” This is the 2nd longest song on the album, coming out to be a little over 5 minutes long. This track seemed to cheer up the album with the lyrics as well as his voice. As Mike sings the lyrics, “do you remember how cold the water was, we were so in love, we were warm enough,” those listening can hear the happiness in this new track through his voice.

Track 5: “So Lost” shows a different style for Mike Isberto, drawing more from his soul and R&B influences. While it maintains his signature folksy style, the rhythm of the song and the lyrics are a brilliant fusion of his different styles. It’s easy to get lost in this song and it’s soothing melody.

Track 6: “The Perfect Day,” is a great song on the album because not only is Mike’s soulful voice spot on, but because you can hear the backup vocals of Kathryn Anderson and the number of instruments – drums, guitar, cello and many more – used on this album clearly.

Track 7: “More In Love” is the title track chosen by Mike Isberto for this new album and it’s a little over 6 minutes long and was the perfect track to lead the album. “More  In Love” is a sweet song that captures the feeling of a deep love that grows day by day.  This was also chosen as Mike Isberto’s favorite off the upcoming album in the recent interview with HypnoticAsia.

Mike’s album features the talents of Eric Kern on drums, Kathryn Anderson singing background vocals, Jason Silber on Mandolin, and Ariana Anugerah on Cello. It was also co-produced by Mike Isberto, Jordan De Guzman and Chad Manalo.

The album as a whole is a great listen for a calm summer evening. The song writing is very simple yet effective and is perfectly suited to Mike’s soulful voice. As he mentions in a recent interview with him, “The new songs on the album were inspired by many different moments. But they’re all quite an accurate portrayal of past relationships and the feelings that came from them.” Mike Isberto has created a unique soul folk album that is a must listen for fans and new listeners alike.

TRACKLIST:  

1. True North
2. I Can’t Sleep
3. Lullaby Rain
4. Highway One
5. So Lost
6. The Perfect Day
7. More In Love

The album release date is due July 30, 2013!