michael stec - the michael stec

MIchael Stec

The Michael Stec
self-released; 2014

3.5 out of 5

By Demiera Harris

Michael Stec has been playing music since he was four-years old; so it’s really no surprise that his self-titled EP The Michael Stec came packaged with healthy guitar chords and riffs, some piano flavor and a seasoned voice to deliver an expressive, emotive effort. With four songs (three of which are described below) and a run time of under 20 minutes, everyone has the time to give this a listen. 

I love the opening piano chords in “Soap Opera Romance.” Stec has a voice that sounds like a gruffy version of Phil Collins’ or Michael Bolton’s voice. There’s a little bit of everything in this song, but the piano is really what stands out most. The hook is very catchy.

“Little Boat” has a really nice plucky tune, with smooth vocals and rather meaningful lyrics. The simplistic nature of the acoustic guitar and vocals alone gives the song a really nice sound; it isn’t overbearing or too busy. “Secret” begins by meandering sweetly, with the guitar softly playing under equally soft vocals. I like how the song picks up, with some background vocals to add depth. This is another one with nice meaningful lyrics. 

The Michael Stec EP  has some real strong points: namely, the uniqueness of his voice, and the finely adapted guitar chords that perfectly complement the meaning and overall sound of each song. What I noticed was “Soap Opera Romance” seemed to stand farthest from the rest; “Window” and “Little Boat” could have likely been combined into two phases of the same song. That said, I did like the overall sound of this album, and really want to hear more from Michael Stec. I hope to hear a full-length soon. 

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