See Your Shadow Gets Nostalgic On Their Latest “Missing West Virginia”

Metropolitan Cowboy Michael Coleman and his Phoenix-based music outfit See Your Shadow have been generating excellent music and productions for years now. Solid country music and blending genres have always been in their DNA, and it makes them an exciting outfit to follow. Now, they’ve got a brand new single out in ‘Missing West Virginia,’ a melancholic song about being nostalgic.

From the very start, the band’s signature acoustic guitars flare up, adding gravitas to the simple tunes and melodies. Two guitars serve as the main instruments, playing both the driving and backing melodies. Of course, no country song would be complete without some soft, trudging drums. And carrying the song’s emotional core is Michael Coleman’s smooth but commanding vocal performance.

It’s some solid country music, especially with a background banjo providing further country flair in the mix. While it may not be the most complex song musically, it certainly is a lot of fun to listen to, and that’s hard to come by these days.

For a song like this, it’s important to nail the songwriting, and thankfully Michael Coleman does an excellent job here. As usual, his writing style is grounded and straightforward, though on ‘Missing West Virginia,’ he adds a lot of little touches that make the song more potent. These small details are what make the song such a compelling listen, and we thoroughly enjoyed every line from Michael.

On top of this, Michael completely nails soft, melancholic vibe he’s going for, mainly that homely, nostalgic feeling one gets when reminiscing on fond times. He sings with the inflection of someone who is truly in the moment, looking back on what happened and laughing about. What you get as a result is a song that feels homely and comforting in the best way.

Generally ‘Missing West Virginia,’ is a laid back tune, focusing more on the vocal delivery to present its impact. Fantastic production work ensures this, with instrument separation being great. Every note comes through clearly, which is important for a song like this that’s all about the emotional connection and atmosphere. We have quite little to complain about, barely anything in fact.

Overall, we’re happy to report that See Your Shadow has once again provided us with a great single, especially for fans of softer country music. The band has maintained a great degree of quality throughout their releases, and it doesn’t seem like they plan to stop any time soon. We, for one, are eager to see where they go next.

–Jason Airy