VIOLET GREY is a one man project for the most part. The music is a blend of rock and slow/ballad rock with sorrowful overtones in it's lyrical context. The music almost sounds troubled and conflicted yet the happy-go-lucky vibe of the guitars and drums overrides the feeling of being down and out. It's a five song EP, that you can relate to in one way or another, whether it's to the lyrics or to immerse yourself in the music itself. It'll be interesting to see where VIOLET GREY heads in the future, this release is a great start to something and hopefully they're be many more releases to come.

This quick indie rock EP by Violet Grey is a specimen in what can and can’t go right with independent recording projects. As a singer/songwriter project it does boast talented and original songs. The problem however is that the vocals lack volume and depth but fortunately you can hear that his voice does have good range. Given some more time and money I’m certain that “April” could be a ridiculously great album. His influences are varied and include Smashing Pumpkins, Hum, My Bloody Valentine, and Cocteau Twins and that speaks to his sound though it’s most certainly wrapped in the riddle of the more individualistic singer/songwriter format. I’m looking forward to his next recording project.

Solo artists can be an unpredictable and touchy bunch at times. There are some who are trying to be different for the sake of being different or attempting to branch out from a group or band that they have been a part of for a long time. There are some who probably have chosen the ‘solo’ road due to their people skills and a lack of the ability to work well with others. Occasionally you run across solo artists or musicians that seem to really have a grasp for what they want to do. Violet Grey falls into the later category. Michael (I don’t know his last name) has what it takes, in my opinion, to move himself and his music to the ‘next level’. This 5-song EP is a sincere and placid release from Violet Grey. “Thursday”, “So Let This (Be)” and “Glass Doors” are smooth and settling songs that will whisk you away into the land of daydreams while letting your emotions and soul flutter around like a butterfly in an open field of green pastures and forgotten times. Now don’t take that as ‘this is a happy-go-lucky little CD’ it is chalked full of feeling and heart, straight from the blue-collar elements of Michigan. I would recommend this to anyone that likes Abandoned Pools, The Cure or Jeff Buckley.