Singer/Songwriter Michael Coleman A/K/A See Your Shadow Releases New Single/Video

See Your Shadow is essentially the creation of Singer/Songwriter, Michael Coleman. Coleman describes SYS as being a group of several contributing musicians, but it seems like a modest way of saying that he is the sole driving force. SYS was reportedly a Dance/Electronica band in their early days, but then decided to switch to, brace yourselves, Country. Originally out of Ohio, Coleman and company have since absconded to Phoenix. As a result of the move, Coleman has dubbed himself, “The Metropolitan Cowboy.”

The newest single by SYS is, “It Starts With Hello.” It’s a snappy, but satisfying 3 minute single, with strong performances all around. Coleman has described the song as being about how the word, hello, is the first word to break the divisions that exist between us. Almost every interaction or conversation begins with some variation of the word, hello. It’s one of those topics that you find yourself being surprised has never made its way into song, before.

Purportedly, “It Starts With Hello,” began as a song with a much slower tempo. It’s funny, unless you’re a songwriter, you probably don’t realize how many iterations an idea may undergo, until arriving at the most suitable sound and arrangement. Coleman says the band first performed the piece at a corporate event, that was arranged to promote diversity. He remembers the song going over extremely well, and it was then that they decided to re work it. It seems like a good call, as the current tempo seems perfectly suited for the poignant, but positive subject matter.

The production on “It Starts With Hello” is strong. The drums are well balanced, and the guitars are exactly what and where they need to be. Coleman’s voice has a soft strength to it, and his tone is clear and clean. While this may not be suited for FM, “It Starts With Hello” is well presented enough to gain some legitimate traction. It’s the track’s subject matter that makes it such a worthy piece, and that is only heightened by the talent of the composers.

There is a guitar solo followed by a piano riff, during the bridge of “It Starts With Hello.” Both sections show considerable chops, and though a bit cookie cutter in a sense, the takeaway is mostly favorable. The more you listen to the track, the more you appreciate the quality of performances. Yes, this is Country music with Pop stylings, but it doesn’t end up feeling like that. It’s message succeeds in superseding any derisive perceptions, and you come away thinking about exactly what See Your Shadow wants you to.

I found “It Starts With Hello,” to be an enjoyable and stimulating listen. It’s a simple, yet deeply meaningful piece, that has all the ingredients to spark some level of real change. The story behind See Your Shadow and their inception, makes them ideal candidates to write and record such a thoughtful piece of music. There’s a true bright spot inside “It Starts With Hello,” that shines on and on, radiantly. And sometimes, all it takes is a simple wave of sound, to change the surrounding energy for the better.

Michael Rand