Michael McDermott is one of those artists who makes you glad you still seek music out. He might not be as massive as he should be or a household name like his heroes, but to know him is to be a fan. It really is that simple.
Unlike his last pair of albums, Flowers From The Graveyard is a single-disc collection, but crucially, it distils everything that makes McDermott special. There isn’t a sliver of anything unnecessary here. It is pure and magnificent.
“The Best We Get” begins with that unmistakably American sound: the big chords and the widescreen sweep that idiots like me call heartland rock, even if we don’t really know what that means. This isn’t one for the dreamers, though. Instead, it belongs to those who gave up years ago. “Only the abyss was looking back at me,” he sings, setting the tone immediately.
The genius of McDermott is in the words. “The truth is somewhere in between,” he offers on “Always A Ways Away”, but his stoicism is written just as large. He has a rare ability to admit uncertainty without ever sounding defeated.
As someone who suffers from imposter syndrome, I can relate to the theory at the heart of “Nobody”: “I feel like I’m playing checkers while the world is playing chess.” It is one of those quintessential McDermott lines—plainly expressed, instantly understood and devastatingly accurate.
“But For The Little Moments” is a little slower, but still uniquely American in its confusion and search for meaning. “Johnny Sparrow And The Sun” strips things back further, allowing McDermott the master storyteller to take centre stage. Somehow, he sounds simultaneously world-weary and utterly engaged with everything around him.
“Old Feelings” goes deep into his mental health struggles. The bravery of doing that should not be overlooked, but neither should the quality of the song itself. It is one of the album’s highlights, crowned by a wonderful guitar solo.
The harmonica introducing “The Struggle Makes You Strong” inevitably invites one particular comparison. This, however, doesn’t believe in any promised land. It is too busy wrestling with what it has.
“Things look different when you’re hurting, and you go to the wrong side of town,” McDermott observes on “The Lords Of Lincoln Park”, although a little hope begins to emerge through the cracks.
“The Future” comes from a man who has looked at 2026 and is not remotely amused by what it has revealed. It is fair to suggest that the MAGA clowns won’t be using this one at their rallies any time soon.
The title track appears to cling to every last vestige of hope it can find, and that mood carries into the gentle closing piece, “Ain’t Life Beautiful”. Its half-spoken delivery makes it sound almost confessional, yet it is still looking forward despite everything McDermott has been through.
Michael McDermott is one of those artists I am acutely aware that, without this website, you might never have encountered—but one you are incredibly glad you did.
Flowers From The Graveyard is the work of the very, very best.
Rating: 9/10
