the Other Side of the Tracks - 12 new tracks full of guitar bends and twists that will take you on a trip. If you liked the last one you are going to love this one. Some guitar players know how to play all the notes - but Michael not only knows the notes, he knows where and when to play them. As a professional in the music business I don't get excited about every player I hear, but this cd pushes all the buttons! When I heard "Guitar Bazaar" I wondered how he would top it....well he has! I recommend "the Other Side of the Tracks" to any listener who wants to hear guitar playing at it's best....Rick Waite, Vice President & General Mgr. - West L.A. Music, Sept. 2002. This cd opens up fast and hard with rockers like "Blow Out!" and the Near Eastern influenced "Back East" but don't think that is all there is. Monarch moves effortlessly into "When It Rains", which is an interesting mix of classically influenced new age jazz and then into the bluesy "Last Call". It's rare to find a guitar player who plays with great technical chops, yet maintains the soul of the music.......Ron Marzilli, ASCAP Songwriter