Cliche by Michael Bly

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So, after countless hours of study, over a hundred thousand dollars of investment, and more than 3 years practicing law, Michael did it - he quit. "I had the worst Monday of my life (with plenty of competition for that title) and decided there wasn't going to be another". Of course many of us would love to do this but are faced with the problem of what to do next. This was never a problem for Michael.

From years of playing guitar and singing in various contexts since he was 9, Michael always knew where he belonged - on stage. He says; "you always know the right thing to do, the tough part is doing it." It's been a strange route to take toward becoming a pop-rock recording artist but, at 29, Michael says that in some ways he feels as though it might have been the best one. "My experience in areas of life where few musicians walk leads to somewhat different conceptualizations in songwriting. Bringing something novel to an art is what art is all about"

Indeed, the title track to his debut CD, produced by Berklee grads Dave Devonshire, Craig Clemons and Kevin Myers (U2, Dave Matthews) and engineered by Pat Woodward (Matchbox 20, Maroon 5) at New York City's world famous studio "The Hit Factory", is called Cliché because the inspiration for the writing and the energy in the amazing live performance comes from the idea that each of us should find something unique that we can share with each other and never let our lives become "just another Cliché".

Michael is a literary wordsmith in carefully crafting his lyrics, "the only good thing I took from law school", he jokes. He cites diverse inspirations from Bruce Springsteen to Run DMC, and Dave Matthews to U2. The CD tracks are just as diverse. Songs like "Drunk Dial" - the hilarious ode to that 4am phone call we've all made will leave you rolling, while songs like "War No More" - a unique and timely consideration of the last resort of war - will provoke the thought it deserves.

Cliché has plenty of the love songs you expect from a pop artist including the energetic expose of life with the one you really want - "With You" - and the gorgeous ballad to honor a woman who can never be honored enough - "Angel".

But what really moves Michael in living and writing is also what makes him so unique among today's pop artists - amazing life experience. He says that he feels like he's been "born again...given a second chance to do what I was meant to do with my life." He's also kept a solid perspective on it all and never lost sight of the fact that many people still haven't gotten to share this enthusiasm. He remembers what that was like and wants, more than anything, to inspire people to "find themselves" and only live the lives in which they really believe.

In addition to the title track "Cliché", songs like "Hope" - a perspective song, that can only be written by someone who's seen a few different sides of what the world can do, "Why" - a calling out to those who dream but don't pursue, and "The Music in Me" - the longest track on the CD and worth every minute. Michael explains; "[I]t's the story of how I changed my life and it's meant to change yours." If you don't reflect on what you do and what you want to do after hearing this song, you didn't listen.

When asked about the interestingly varied themes throughout his work, Michael explains; "I write only what I really feel. I'm honestly every bit as passionate about partying fun as I am about the deeply thoughtful poetry of life. Above all, I believe in moving people with music. Whether it's moving them to love, see the world and their own possibilities in it differently or just moving them to party, as long as I moved them I've lived my dream and done my job - and the two should never be mutually exclusive.

Like the great artists he cites above and newer artists like Eminem, John Mayer, Jay-Z and Jason Mraz - whom he cites as everyday inspiration - Michael's words and performances can be just as fun as they can be socially conscious, inspirational and deeply connecting. But what's never lost in any of it is that all of it is just plain good and above everything, it's anything but Cliché.

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