When Above The Flood played at Limbo Bar in Gloversville over the weekend, I had the opportunity to chat with the club owner, Lori, for a while before the show.  She talked enthusiastically about both building up her club as a regional music venue and supporting the local/regional music scene at large; all genres, from metal to country, rock to folk, and beyond.  I mentioned to her that I’d just released and was trying to get the word out about a new album and gave her a CD to check out.  The next day, she sent me the following wonderful message:

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Mike Grosshandler:

Thank You for the gift of the music CD “Blue Skies Black.”

A preface: Many bands and solo artists, representing many genres of music, have played my bar! The upside is exposure to new music, making new friends, and continuing to “support the scene.” The downside is, at times, I see the musicians, singers, etc., in a very specific light–there are the “metal” guys, and the “rock” guys, and the “acoustic” girls. Case in point: a guitar player for an extremely popular and important Upstate NY metal band laid down an acoustic set of all-original music as the opening act for a show we were hosting. I was, to say the very least, FLOORED by this young man’s musical gifts; the “light” switched in my brain, and I’m so very glad it did!

A talent: (I’ve seen you play as a member of The Velmas and Above The Flood; for the latter, I will again extend a hearty “Thank You!” to you and your band-mates for playing so many of the benefits in our community.) You are gifted in your songwriting, in your playing, in your singing, and in the collaborators you’ve chosen! The CD’s production quality is over-the-top amazing and professional! My two favorite songs are “Everything’s Fine” and “Too Many Reasons.” The latter is very much a mantra, an anthem, and let’s be honest, a song which needs to get on TouchTunes ASAP and downloaded and played! (Let’s be even more honest, ALL the songs need to be available on TouchTunes.) You have a voice and a gift which must be shared…

A request: Please keep us posted on gigs to support “Blue Skies Black.”

Again, thank you for the music!

Your new fan,

Lori Davis Hurley

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If you want to meet a local business owner who is really working hard to make something real happen for herself and others in her community, stop by Limbo and say hi to Lori.

http://mikegrosshandler.bandcamp.com/

http://paragoninterviews.blogspot.com/2012/04/mike-grosshandler.html

“For “Blues Skies Black”, Grosshandler has upped the ante. Written and recorded over a three year period, “Blues Skies Black” is an ambitious collection of post-grunge, alt. rock, singer-songwriter fare. I know that’s a bit of a mouthful, but that’s what it is. Grosshandler possesses a fine, adaptable voice that somehow brings to mind both Roger McGuinn and Bill Janovitz, and there’s no shortage of great tracks. In particular the title piece, where an epic riff collides with a big tune, the sort of thing that lodges in the frontal lobe and refuses to leave quietly. Add to that a song that you’ll find yourself mouthing the words to at inopportune moments, and someone will probably end up suing him for embarrassment caused. Of course, it’s by no means the only outstanding track, and it would be utterly callous to sign off this review without mentioning the sub-aqua joys of “Fish in the Sea”, the unruffled guitars of “Everything’s Fine” or the astute, gentle poptones of “Drops”.”

htttp://www.cdbaby.com/cd/mikegrosshandler

htttp://www.cdbaby.com/cd/mikegrosshandler