Michael Rault - Whirlpool

Michael Rault's Ma-Me-O debut album sat unlistened to in a pile of CDs on my bedroom floor in 2010 before I got around to it because I'd never heard of him before and no-one I knew was talking about him. But I fell in love once I got around to it and it ended up being one of my favourite records of the year.

I saw Rault perform for the first two times during Canadian Music Fest and the North By Northeast Music Festival earlier this year and enjoyed a few songs that weren't on Ma-Me-O. They've just been released on Rault's seven-song Whirlpool EP, which includes two versions of the simple but catchy lead single, "I Want To Love You."

Rault handled most of the instrumentation himself, produced four of the songs and looked to the past to create a timeless sound.

"He Don't Care About You" totally evokes the '60s with a guitar that sounds nasty, but in a good way. "Everyone Must Cry Sometimes" is a ballad that you can dance to. "Fall in Love With Every Girl I See" offers dirty-sounding instrumentation but a melodic tune. "Suckcess" could have been recorded in a garage 45 years ago, and you'll be clapping along with Rault as you listen to it.

In addition to the original numbers, Rault also covers the Staples Singers' "Two Wings" and adds a bluesy twist to the soulful gospel song.

I'd like Whirlpool to be longer, but I'm certainly satisfied with what's been presented and it looks like Rault will be making another appearance on my year-end favourites list in 2012. You can decide for yourself by downloading Whirlpool for free from Rault's Facebook page.