Reviews from various sources
"Too Soon It;s Time To Fly has six tracks all written and performed by Mike Weaver with assistance from Lukas Drinkwater. The songs are in the folk genre and all of which are a delight to listen to. Ranging from the playful to the poignant and covering aspects of his life, seasons and nature all set to some wonderful lyrics, it’s all there. The one exception is ‘Heart of Reunion’ which is a beautiful instrumental; just sit back and let the music take your mind to wherever you wish it to go.
This album is a treat for the senses so make sure you grab a copy. "
- Brian Inglis, Jelli Note, August 2020
"Opening for O'Hooley & Tidow was Mike Weaver who beautifully set the scene for our forthcoming delights early on pricking our tear-ducts with a poignant tale of a dying dog (Chasing Squirrels In The Sky). He, like the main act, gave us touching songs of daily life from a daughter leaving for university to memories of his family Summer holidays in West Wales (Pembrokeshire Fair), all finely accompanied by Mike’s skilful guitar playing." - Nick Smith, Downend Voice, April 2019
“Mike Weaver says 'Gather I Must' came from a bed-time story he told his children. Not sure I would fall asleep after such a lovely song!” - Sleeve notes, 'Hello Life' CD, recorded at Mitcheldean Folk Festival July 2017
"Mike Weaver's latest album, The Others (March 2016) is a collection of previously unreleased material, together with the single 'Pembrokeshire Fair.' A fingerstyle guitarist, Mike always records his material live to reflect the directness and simplicity of his gigs, creating a strong focus on the lyrics. "- Acoustic Magazine, May 2016
"Telling stories and reflecting on times gone by and people no longer with us, Mike demonstrated his heart and soul in his ‘Pembrokeshire Fair’, he echoed spirituality in his ‘From Here to Africa’ and brought this all together in ‘Gather I Must’ to close a set which exuded beautiful harmonies, clear storytelling and a passion for people. "- Shelley Peterson, Downend Folk Club Review, October 2016
“Enjoyed listening to Mike Weaver on the last day of 2014. Pure poetry.” - Mike Vinson, Reverbnation (USA), January 2015.
This album is a treat for the senses so make sure you grab a copy. "
- Brian Inglis, Jelli Note, August 2020
"Opening for O'Hooley & Tidow was Mike Weaver who beautifully set the scene for our forthcoming delights early on pricking our tear-ducts with a poignant tale of a dying dog (Chasing Squirrels In The Sky). He, like the main act, gave us touching songs of daily life from a daughter leaving for university to memories of his family Summer holidays in West Wales (Pembrokeshire Fair), all finely accompanied by Mike’s skilful guitar playing." - Nick Smith, Downend Voice, April 2019
“Mike Weaver says 'Gather I Must' came from a bed-time story he told his children. Not sure I would fall asleep after such a lovely song!” - Sleeve notes, 'Hello Life' CD, recorded at Mitcheldean Folk Festival July 2017
"Mike Weaver's latest album, The Others (March 2016) is a collection of previously unreleased material, together with the single 'Pembrokeshire Fair.' A fingerstyle guitarist, Mike always records his material live to reflect the directness and simplicity of his gigs, creating a strong focus on the lyrics. "- Acoustic Magazine, May 2016
"Telling stories and reflecting on times gone by and people no longer with us, Mike demonstrated his heart and soul in his ‘Pembrokeshire Fair’, he echoed spirituality in his ‘From Here to Africa’ and brought this all together in ‘Gather I Must’ to close a set which exuded beautiful harmonies, clear storytelling and a passion for people. "- Shelley Peterson, Downend Folk Club Review, October 2016
“Enjoyed listening to Mike Weaver on the last day of 2014. Pure poetry.” - Mike Vinson, Reverbnation (USA), January 2015.
Mike Weaver's Crowd Reviews
The musicians' website Reverbnation has a facility called Crowd Review which enables artists to have their work reviewed by real fans online. These can be followers of any genre, who are tasked to give an honest appraisal of what they think of the songs fed to them.
Obviously the system means that music is delivered to a wide range of age groups, designed to reflect a true radio audience. Reverbnation changes nothing its reviewers say - so you take the rough with the smooth.
Pleasingly, I had some very favourable comments about the two songs of mine which were tested. Here's a selection of what people thought. I think the majority of the reviewers live in the United States.
The musicians' website Reverbnation has a facility called Crowd Review which enables artists to have their work reviewed by real fans online. These can be followers of any genre, who are tasked to give an honest appraisal of what they think of the songs fed to them.
Obviously the system means that music is delivered to a wide range of age groups, designed to reflect a true radio audience. Reverbnation changes nothing its reviewers say - so you take the rough with the smooth.
Pleasingly, I had some very favourable comments about the two songs of mine which were tested. Here's a selection of what people thought. I think the majority of the reviewers live in the United States.
Gather I Must1. "One can cant help but appreciate the peace and calming feeling that a song such as this brings! the acoustic guitar did a really nice job of accompanying the softly singing artist, and the slow and steady tempo of the overall song was very relaxing. and the fact that the artist told a story that I could actually see in my minds eye did not go unnoticed by me. I think we need more simplistic yet meaningful songs such as this in the world. the melody of the song was engaging and made me smile as I got more and more into the song."
2. "I'm really feeling lost in this melody. Solid folky lyrics with a dreamlike track. This really feels like a back to basics Folk song. Simple guitar accompaniment really works for this singer. Its relaxing to listen to, easy to understand, and really pleasant. Where can I get the album?" 3. "Very nice intro with dual guitar harmony. Vocals good, very folky. Good song to listen to on a rainy day. Lyrics were very poetic. Reminded me of Cat Stevens. Very light drums. Guitars/vocals is what stands out the most." (MW: thanks, but there's just my guitar, played live, and the drums are my foot tapping!) 4. "Great warm and saturated feel. Automatic 10 vote. The song paints pictures of nature and reminiscent memories. The guitar chords are beautiful and the singers voice is a compliment to the guitar. I imagine listening to this on vinyl in whiskey colored room for hours on end. The composition has a very timeless feel to it. If someone told me it was composed in the 60's i would have no doubt. Again great composition and the artist definitely left me wanting more." 5. "This song is like a sparkly dust. It has a lovely poetic feeling with all of the rhymes. I like the use of nature, animals, and seasons in the lyrics. The singer has a simple way of expressing each word with the soft tone of the music." 6. "The riff in the beginning is very original and that is something I look for a lot when listening to acoustic music! The guitar is very pretty sounding and compliments your vocals very well! Your voice is soft, calming, and happy all at the same time! I enjoy the lyrics and how genuine they are. They resonate very well with your vocals, and guitar playing. I would definitely listen to this track more than once." 7. "The guitar in the beginning is very beautiful. I'd like to see the tabs to the acoustic. The vocals are very beautiful sung. The lyrics are very environment and beautiful sounding. the tone of the song suits a midnight listening or a early in the morning song. Very beautiful sounding and the tone of the song make this an enjoyable listen." 8. "This is a warm toned song that is easy to listen to and one of those songs that would put me to sleep. In a good way though. The vocalist has a low voice. The guitar music really accents his voice. The guitar music alone would create a sound that people would love." 9. "This is a slow sweet song. It has an older mature sound. The guitar is friendly and soothing. I think this song is made for people who do not like to be excited but do enjoy social setting where they can mellow out. The lyrics are very clean and non threating. This song reminds me of Puff the Magic Dragon. I think this song would be a excellent sound track." 10. "The beat sound really tense and alright. it has strong influence on his voice. his voice sound really nice too. i'm impress that he kept his with the same tone through the music." (MW: it was written as the imaginary soundtrack to my book Claws!) October 2013 
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Hey Friend1. "The intro was emotion and a great way to open a song. The best part of this song is that he was able to put part of his life story into the form of a song. Vocals : The vocals are expressive and strong as his story telling ability was amazing. Lyrics : The lyrics are rich and tell a amazing story of this guys life. Instrumentals : The instruments are balanced as there was not much going on in the instruments for me too judge. Positive : The song is different from most country songs as this one is not political nor just a boring story of the country life. This story is from the young to the old about one man's tales. Negative : There is not that much negative about this song."
2."This is a slow paced song with a calming sound. The music is very relaxed. The instrumentals are very soft and in tune. The lyrics tell a story that people can easily relate to. The vocalist has a voice that is great for this type of music. He could use some help on the area of vocals but not that much. The guitar player plays on tune and is able to compliment his voice. Together they create a very pretty song." 3. "The peaceful sound of the guitar puts me at ease. The voice of this artist is peaceful and genuine. I like the lyrics its great to hear a reflection of yesteryear. I think this song will do well for people who grew up in the 60's and enjoy music for peace. This is a heartwarming song and I enjoyed the sound of the gentleman's voice." 4. "Clean and crisp 'classic' sounding vocals accompanied by the simple stroking of a guitar is exactly the kind of sound that I believe people need to appreciate and get back into. This song featured a true talent, and I sincerely hope he receives many other good reviews and does something with his talent. The lyrics are telling some sort of story, I didn't exactly follow along, but I didn't feel that I needed to. This song gave me great vibes. 9 out of 10." 5. "Very unique voice, makes for cool songs and great potential. Lyrically this song is very strong as it tells the story of the girl who's looks are 'light and faded'. Lyrics are what I look the most into as I listen but this acoustic song it is peaceful and great background music. Very refreshing to hear nice acoustic music." 6. "I like it! Very old-timey feel and reflective tone. Lyrics and subtle guitar are beautiful. Can't really see it becoming a radio hit, but is nice for casual listening. Lyrics remind me of Johnny Cash. They are thoughtful, warm, and uplifting. Very simple, very sweet song. The voice is unique and has a nice deep feel to it. Comforting and soothing song, would be great to listen to on the road or when you're relaxing by yourself, just thinking." 7. "I like this song. The singers voice is very peaceful and soothing. He sounds a little like Garfunkle and the song reminds me of his style. I like it and would definitely put it on my ipod." 8. "The simplicity of his melody with the lyrics and the guitar comes very natural to him. I love how well the tone goes with his guitar. His voice sounds like something I could listen to while reading or just having a nice dinner. He has a very nice pitch, you can tell he is very informed with his tone and the guitar working together." 9. "Great folk finger-picking, gives the song a very mellow feel but still moves well and has variation, keeping the listener actively listening. Reminds me of the softer side of Bob Dylan in respect to the guitar and to a certain extent the vocals. The vocals are placed very well and the singer has a great folk voice: very soft and melodious yet has a conversational air to him. With a better sounding vocal recording this song could be a hit on community/college radio stations with specialized folk shows. The vocal melody carries itself very well throughout the song, gently leading into each part. The guitar arpeggios harmonize and fit in perfectly with the vocals. While this is certainly meant to be a folk classic, only guitar and voice, adding some slight piano or violin for additional layering could easily take this tune to the next level." 10. "This song is really cool as the guitar is a really cool aspect of this song! Furthermore, I love the way that this song seems to have a singer just gently singing the song, while talking a little bit as well! The recording quality is also amazing!" (MW: recorded in the kitchen using Garage Band software and a mic from my daughters' Wii gizmo!) October 2013 |
