Something very special happens in the moment when a listener truly connects to a song. It’s an

intangible reaction that bridges science and emotion, turning firing synapses into something cosmically

beautiful. Another Michael exists for that moment: when a song transforms the setting of a long walk

home, or speaks to a past experience while simultaneously making a new one, or taps into something

universal by relating details so specific and personal that they could only be revealed in music. In 2023

the band released Wishes To Fulfill, the first in a pair of albums dedicated to their love of song, and now

they’re back already with the experimental next chapter, Pick Me Up, Turn Me Upside Down. Together,

the dual LPs create and pay tribute to the power of transcendent musical moments.

Wishes To Fulfill and Pick Me Up, Turn Me Upside Down are contrasting but complimentary albums:

musical siblings that are undeniably different entities but still share key sonic DNA. They each offer a

plethora of dynamics, feelings, and moods to soundtrack the richness of life, and form Another Michael’s

finest work to date. Where Wishes To Fulfill was a lean 29-minute set of single-worthy tracks, Pick Me

Up, Turn Me Upside Down is more expansive, patiently unfolding to reveal an exploratory side that brings

new hues into the band’s vibrant sound.

On Pick Me Up, Turn Me Upside Down, Another Michael’s core sound–ultra-catchy melodies delivered

through inventive chord progressions, lush arrangements, and vocalist/guitarist Michael Doherty’s

distinctive voice–is still present, but the record features new ingredients that push the music into

unexpected directions. The songs often take the knack for hooks that defined Wishes To Fulfill and apply

it to left turns like the hypnotic quasi-krautrock of “I’ve Come Around To That,” the sparse balladry of the

title track, or the pulsating synth explorations of “The Diner’s Spoon.” The album’s world is weirder and

more improvisational, like in the twisting ends of “Hub of Dreams” or the spontaneous performances of

“Like I Won A Car”–but Doherty’s warm singing and conversational lyricism always keep things

grounded.

Another Michael’s adoration for music allows for simple sonic satisfaction, but it also taps into

something deeper, something connective. “Music is a medium of communication,” says bassist Nick

Sebastiano, “It’s not a purposeful decision to talk about music in our songs but it just inherently means

so much to us. If something makes your heart sing, the audience is going to hear it.” On Wishes To Fulfill

and Pick Me Up, Turn Me Upside Down, the band didn’t set out to capture the all encompassing,

existential value of music, but they did contribute to it–offering more songs to the world, and with them,

chances to create one of those moments.