Michal the Girl

"MICHAL THE GIRL was One of our First discoveries in New York and also one of Our Favorites. She has always Been interesting Musically, but her New CD (due for a New York CD Release Party on the 20th of July) is Quite a Departure from her Last Power Pop gem. Her new songs employ a Cello and a Flute as well as that Assertive voice and her "take no prisoners" Lyrics as she always has. And that's the way we like it." - The Fevered Brain of Radio Mike

"This young New Yorker has pop on the brain and her thoughtful, foot-tapping tunes rock with a Mary Tyler Moore you're gonna make it after all uplift." - CMJ

"You don't need to feel too sorry for all the hippie spawn whose parents saddled them with eybrow-raising names. Michal (pronounced "Mich'el") may now be obliged to inform you that she's a girl, but atleast now she has another excuse for her sassy, sugared alterna-pop temper tantrums." - Village Voice

"The sugary vocals of Halifax-reared, New York based guitarist Michal Friedman at first belie the depth at hand here, but not for long. Once Friedman cranks the amp and starts railing about rotten guys and their worse hapbits, it's clear she's not some Harriett Wheeler wannabe, no matter how apt the vocal comparison. A spooky, sinister knockout." - Now Magazine (Toronto)

"Ever since Mr. Cyrano has known Michal the Girl, she's been threatening to be in a band. Her solo shows downtown are smoothly twitchy affairs, in a chipper and mournful confessional vein. Basically, Michal's Life in Song goes something like this: I know it wasn't going to work; it didn't work; what the hell has she got that I haven't got; why did I bother; what was I thinking; what were YOU thinking; what if -- nah; and well, that's not what I wanted anyway. She is utterly charming, brilliantly sardonic, and sweetly funny, and she sends the best gig emails on the block. An ex-expatriate from South Carolina and Nova Scotia, Michal (it's pronounced "Michael", and we're not giong to get inot it here) ... decided, of course, to move to New York.

In the last few months, Michal has gingerly tested the water with band members at last ("these are my boys," she'll tell you). Tonight is the third try by my count, with the third set of boys, and the groove is instant and startling. Gone are the navel-gazing recitations of mopery, swapped for an uptempo gleeful sharp rage; the self-deprecating lonsome kitty is history, and in her place is a hellion ready to tell you just where and when and how you fucked things up. The transformation is a delight. by the end of the show I'm thnking that they really ought to dig the old Max's Kansas City out of its dusty naphthalene for just one last splash, so Michal and the Boys can do a single clashy nousy ragy flingy slashy girly set there and wormhole us back to 1979 for an evening of sightseeing. Or maybe this is just a lame attempt to try to get her into those old red Spandex one-piece... er, never mind.

Michal the Girl's website is particularly wry and fun, and (like Michal the Girl) very much to the point. Recommended." - MusicDish.com

"Michal's pretty bruised-pride songs mine a relentlessly fertile territory of loss, inadequacy, jealousy, rage and a rampant neurosis in quiet, chipper syle, and her small thin frame adds a spunky toughness to what might othewise be some dreary, mopey stuff." - MusicDish.com

"In an era of Canadian music marked by rich female talent, singer-songwriter Michal Friedman is one to watch... She recently decided to head to New York to pursue a solo career.

Friedman has a charismatic voice that lends itself to the alterna-pop sensibilities of the songs she writes, and although she admires singers like Ella Fitzgerald, her singing style will more likely remind you of The Cranberries or The Sundays.

Originally from Columbia, SC, Friedman relocated with her family as part of a Buddhist community to Halifax.

'I got a really good response from a solo show...' says Friedman. 'I had never really thought of performing solo before, and I was encouraged to come down to New York. Halifax will always be home, but I feel like I'm supposed to sing, and hopefully some people in New York can help me do that. I want to hook up with a producer who can help shape some of my songs and then we'll see what happens.'" - Canadian Living

I haven't heard a voice so unbelievably pure in years. Michal The Girl is a five-foot or so Canadian, now living in Brooklyn, with a voice that should not come from such an unassuming figure. She is simply a joy to listen to. Her first record was more of a power-pop project with crunchy electric guitars. Strung Out is a more organic affair, more acoustically based, with songs in the vein of Lisa Loeb. The girl's voice is strong enough to carry the entire record on her back, and you could listen to her sing the dictionary while making it entertaining.

The only complaint might be that this is a mini record with eight tracks coming in around 30 minutes long. But we're talking DIY indie here, right? Michal more then makes up for it with quality as all eight tracks are way above average. Also, the cover art is striking.

The first cut is "Transmission," and it's a perfect way to open the set. Mid-tempo and determined, the first thing you notice about the song is how captivating her voice is. A terrific cello that is present throughout the record supports Michal and her acoustic guitar. As with many songs, the chorus features Michal grabbing a note and absolutely choking the life out of it as she seems to ride it for an eternity. Man, this girl can sing!

"Do Over" is powered by a hip-shaking beat and is more quirky structure-wise than other cuts on the record. Nice production on this one with various backing vocals, all added with a delicate touch to augment it rather than just pile on a Queen-like effect.

The road turns ballad-y with "Message Machine," with a nice little-girl voice from Michal. The cello, courtesy of Ken Hashimoto, colors the song beautifully. "Thrown" gets things a bit edgier with a more forceful guitar line. The dramatic chorus shows Michal can get more forceful yet can lay back and not force things to great result as well.

"Eyes Wide Open" is the undeniable pearl in the oyster of this set. Strong verses all set up the chorus which is just amazing. It builds and builds until you get the awesome rush. Terrific production on this one with really nice bass and cello. I can listen to this one all day.

"Cold" gets the record moving with a bit more urgency. The vulnerable side is shown on "Flashlight," which is bouncy in spite of the lyrics. "English" leaves the listener with a slightly more subdued piece that is engaging.

Strung Out is an excellent piece of work. Michal has written some terrific songs. However, no matter what else is going on, you focus on her amazing voice. She can turn an average song into something you're going to listen to. Fortunately, the songs are all great so you have the best of both worlds. For those of you who like to hear a quality song delivered in a non-emo/thrash/punk/metal whatever setting, look no further.
- Morely Seaver

Michal the Girl is 1.7 yards of mind bending raw musical talent. She doubles as life support for a wickedly proficient voice.

She's the creator of infectious hooks in both the horizontal and vertical aspect and rhythms that dance in your head long after your legs have given out. She serves it up with a copious helping of her powerful and undeniably sexy voice.

Her first album Tongue Tied meanders near the garage with the overdriven guitar of 'Hook Line & Sink Me', the power-world/alt-rock arena with massive beat backed 'Bittersweet' and an ethereal hint of things to come with the haunting strings in my favorite MTG song 'Swivel It' (all three songs mentioned can be sampled at CD Baby).

'Swivel It' deserves special mention because it's such a break from anything you'd normally hear. Steeped in a soup of chilling cello drone it takes the mind everywhere from the highlands to deep beneath the waves with a bit of bowed whale song. The beat syncopates around a basic rock pattern and bass line with some chop that strangely brings some of Page and Bonham's (1/2 of Led Zeppelin) work to mind. Perhaps you had to see Jimmy Page bowing a guitar or hear John Bonham thrashing demons out of his kit to fully appreciate my words but the point is Michal takes you places you'd not expect. Wonderful places. And if you're curious about her voice this is a perfect song to sample -- impressive in all regards.

Her second album Strung Out yields a more unplugged Michal. As the name suggests you'll hear a lot more strings. Here we net the effect of cellos placed squarely in the path of her intense sense of flow and rhythm. Read her bio and you'll see she's no stranger to dance music. Listen to her music and it's obvious why. I did say 'intense'.

Celtic/irish flavors crop up often in Michal's music. More so in the vein of folk than 'world'. In all she runs a curious line from neo-punk straight through irish folk dance and somehow remains consisent enough that you'd readily put all songs from both albums on the same playlist at a party or on your iPod.

Check her out and see why Michal the Girl's music is even cooler than her name.
- Independent Music Arstists-A Cherry Picker's Journal by Frank Gualtier

"Currently hailing from Brooklyn, Michal the Girl incorporates cello and, sometimes, flute into an acoustic/electric hybrid that's modern yet showcases a distinct and refreshing 90s alt rock/pop flavor on her second release, "Strung Out". Hints of Aimee Mann, The Sundays, and, perhaps, Rasputina (if merely for the cello comparison) resonate throughout the disc's 8-song set (err... actually 9 if you count the disc's lovely *cough* bonus cello instrumental *cough*). Somewhat mellow, intimate acoustic guitar and cello based songs are countered by rhythmic bass hooks and drums that sometimes even recall Luscious Jackson, juxtaposing low-key acoustic rock with a more straightforward danceable rock underbelly. Top it off with spectacular arrangements, well-written, straightforward lyrics, and strong production, and you have the makings for a solid, albeit relatively short, release.

Highlights include the downright catchy opener, "Transmission", the funk-infused, wah guitar enhanced "Do Over", and "Eyes Wide Open", which features some of the album's best cello arrangements and includes an interesting bass groove that appears to be either plucked cello or stand-up bass. "Cold" and "Flashlight" are, in fact, also quite noteworthy, the former going a bit acoustic electronica with a bass groove and breakbeat, the latter featuring nice string swells and percussion that incorporates handclaps and even guiro. "Message Machine", "Thrown", and "English" are the disc's mellower offerings, the first a nice low-key ballad, the second bouncing between a stripped down whisper of a verse and more powerful rock chorus, and the last a lovely, sparser, percussion/bass-free track.

Overall, Michal the Girl's "Strung Out" is a rather strong and consistent album. While consisting largely of acoustic guitar rock/pop at its heart, it's Ken Hashimoto's cello arrangements and performances that really drive the album home, providing the main melodic material to complement Michal's lovely vocal work and transforming fairly low-key, intimate rock/pop songs into lush, emotive pieces. It's a spectacular sonic blend that's got both groove and heart. The album's only major shortcoming is that, even with its short bonus track, it clocks in at under half an hour. However, that said, it's an impressive 28-or-so minutes of cello-laden rock that's definitely worth a listen."
- Joshua Heinrich