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A Fresh Album from J. Michael & The Heavy Burden

Where We Belong is the latest album from J. Michael & the Heavy Burden, and I’ll admit this was my first time sitting down with their music. Within seconds of the title track kicking off the album, I felt pulled into something warm and immediate. “Where We Belong” rides the line between jam band looseness and classic rock precision, with shades of Dave Matthews but filtered through their own unmistakable identity. The groove was infectious. It made me want to throw open the windows and let the world in.


“Blind Luck Eddie” keeps the energy high, but with a different flavor. There’s grit in the vocals that pushes against the clean string work, and the result is this odd but compelling blend of bluegrass, country, and a surprising dose of funk. It never feels like genre-hopping for its own sake. It just works. “Make Everybody Know” is another standout. It’s big and loud and proud, like it’s meant to be played live in a packed room. The chorus hits with the kind of punch that weirdly reminded me of something you might hear in an 80s arena anthem, but without leaning into nostalgia too heavily.


That 80s streak flickers again on “Firework,” which shifts toward something more heartfelt and reflective. It’s the kind of song that invites singalongs, the kind where you instinctively raise your drink halfway through the chorus. “Sue Bear” strips things down to solo guitar, and it’s a welcome breather. There’s something intimate about it that made me lean in a little closer.


“Soul Chemistry” brought back the full band energy, and I loved how the arrangement toyed with texture. It almost felt like there were some synths buried in the mix, giving the song a subtle glow. “Moment” sounded like a lost 60s track pulled from some dusty reel, and the closer “Hard Lesson” sealed it for me. That slide guitar playing is unreal. The vocal delivery felt earned and raw, like something J. Michael had been waiting years to get out.


This is a band with a firm grip on their sound but not afraid to stretch into different directions. The songs move like chapters, each one offering a slightly different tone, but never breaking the spell. I went in not knowing what to expect and came out wanting to see them live.



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