www.thiswinkis.com interview and feature February, 2009. This Winki's is an indie music blog based in Iran.


Below is a review of The Springs Demo by Vladimiro Vacca for www.losthighways.it original text in Italian
I see these 21 songs to leave from Santa Fe Springs, California... then to cross all the United States and therefore the Atlantic ocean in order to reach Naples. They are more than 21 pieces folk. They are 21 pieces of life. There are the memories, the reflections and the pains of a man, Michael Cardenas, that a guitar has covered the life present from when he was ten years old. It's various adolescent experiences in bands stamped punk and metal and its studies of theory and composition feel all in these pure acoustic pieces. For us singing as a reincarnation of Elliott Smith and Nick Drake shows a fingerpicking comparable only to José González and a tormented spirit that explodes melancholy colors. Inestimable gems are Brown Dwarf, Privet, Don't Care for Guns, Protest Song for World Freedom, Rufus… we're not friends and covers of a crazy originality like Life on Mars? by Bowie, Cucurucucu Paloma by Tomas Mendez Sosa, Love in Vain by Robert Johnson and Another Lonely Xmas by Prince. His Demo The Springs is only online at CD BABY. The songwriter self-produces and survives itself of music since from their part they have "to feel" the life in a different way a privilege that is priceless.

"It's so hot in your head
it's pulling you down
and that makes you walk
till the dust disappears
I wonder what burns
through the color of your fear"


"We really like his songs, 'Privet' and 'Brown Dwarf' off of his recent release, 'The Springs Demo'."
- babbleandbeat.com