Todd Michaelsen creates music with passion and a sense of urgency. Originally from Upstate New York, Michaelsen's melodic song-writing & whaling tenor voice are often compared to Radiohead, U2, and Jeff Buckley, yet there is a sense of freedom in his approach to performing and recording that separate him. Michaelsen’s songs possess both, pop sensibility and unique experimentation, as he uses loop-stations and EBowed guitars to layer his compositions in an ethereal sound all his own. His live shows regularly include dance by his wife, actress Reena Shah. She blends classical Indian dance with her personal modern style technique, mesmerizing the audience, frequently dancing into the crowd.
Michaelsen's voice and melodic ear are his biggest strengths. His song-writing spans the rock/pop genre and also includes folk, electronica, and experimental. Under the alias of My Pet Dragon, he released "First Born" in 2006. The record highlighted his diversity as a writer and producer. DJ's and rock fans alike praised the album for its blend of organic & electronic elements. Also in 2006, Michaelsen sang and co-wrote 3 songs with producer Karsh Kale for "Broken English", Kale’s third major LP for Six Degrees records. The work with Kale earned Michaelsen positive reviews and exposed the singer to new audiences. Michaelsen has also contributed a song to Kale's upcoming record with Anouskar Shankar. Michaelsen also produces music for various film and animation projects. He is currently working with Guggenheim Fellowship Award recipient, filmmaker Nina Paley, penning original songs that combine eastern and western influences, for her animated feature "Sita Sings the Blues.” He scored film-maker Matt Linnel's short film "Security", based upon the play by award-winning playwright Israel Horovitz. Michaelsen has also collaborated with film-maker Lindsay Crystal, for which he produced and wrote an original song for her short film "Spoke". Now performing under his own name, Michaelsen is about to release a record of songs that capture his live energy. The as of yet untitled record will include fan favorites such as "Pagan Blues", "Lover in Hiding", and "Born on a Sunday". The alias of "My Pet Dragon" will be reserved for a series of electronica recordings that Michaelsen plans to release during the summer of 2007. |
|
MY PET DRAGON.
In September 2006, Reena and her husband Todd Michaelsen started playing open mics in New York City under the name of MY PET DRAGON. Reena dances using her Traditional Indian Ghungroo Anklet Bells as a percussion instrument and interprets his music & lyrics through dance. ABOUT MY PET DRAGON.... Todd Michaelsen, a singer/guitarist/producer, living in New York, started my Pet Dragon in the Fall of 2005 as a solo project. Singing over looping guitars and layering sound both organic and electronic, Todd began writing, performing, and recording music he called "My Pet Dragon". During the first year of My Pet Dragon, there were many variations of the live show that often included exciting dance performances from Todd's wife Reena Shah. Rock fans and D.J.'s alike were pleased to hear "First Born", a collection of songs taken from Todd's Dragon's Lair sessions from the Winter of 2006. Version's of "Born on a Sunday", "Holes in the Sky", "Dragon Breath", "Space Love 3000", and "The Painter" show the range of styles and emotions that Todd is exploring in his music. Despite being a self-release, copies of "First Born" have been sold all over the world via myspace and itunes. MPD's second album, "Pills for Pagans" is in the works and will be released by Spring 2007. Early demos of new songs have been previewed here on myspace and have been getting great responses from friends and fans. Todd has also appeared on Karsh Kale's new album called "Broken English", which came out March 21 on Six Degrees Records. He sang on three tracks on the record and played shows with Karsh's band called Realize over the Winter and Spring of 2006. The record was critically acclaimed and in the top 10 Electronica downloads on Itunes after its release. Visit KarshKale.com for more info or KarshKale's Myspace PRAISE for My Pet Dragon Review by Hadley Tomicki for www.lataco.com "Perhaps the day's best discovery (at the Artwallah Festival) was My Pet Dragon, comprised of the newly-wedded team of Reena Shah and Todd Michaelsen, who recently appeared on Karsh Kale's new album. Reena's dancing combines her classical training melded with a current, improvisational spirit. Todd, just a lone man with a guitar, seemed to fill the entire downtown area with the force of an entire rock band with beautiful, bittersweet songs, carried across with a stunning voice of lifting intensity, power and flexibility, reminding us of My Morning Jacket singer Jim James' acoustic record crossed with the steady power of Coldplay's Chris Martin (uh, but cooler, sorry for the comparison, Todd). The two are as noticably in love as their song-and-dance combination are forceful and stunning. We imagine more than a few copies of their new CD First Born flew off the tables Saturday, as TACO picked one up ourselves." Review of My Pet Dragon's "First Born" by Sarika Dani for www.ethnotechno.com *****(5 out of 5 stars) " A big contributor to the "dreamy" dialogue is Michaelsen's soaring vocals. Comparisons to Thom Yorke and Jeff Buckley come easily and immediately, but the likeness diminishes the more you listen-and realize that the emotion in his voice stems from a place that is entirely his own. Michaelsen cites Sigur Ros, Nine Inch Nails, Karsh Kale, and Bjork as influences, noting that he likes "the sounds and emotions you can get out of blending organic and electronic elements together." Michaelsen does this skillfully on the moody, hypnotic "New York Underwater," and the meandering but rhythmic "Space Love 3000" and "Dreamer's Despair," which both layer guitar and vocals with scattered beats into lush, spaced-out soundscapes. But on tracks like "Born on a Sunday," "The Painter," and "First Born King," Michaelsen tones down the production and favors a simple, acoustic folk sound. It's these variations that reflect the versatility of his talent." See the full review at Ethnotechno.com MY PET DRAGON'S MySpace www.myspace.com/mypetdragon |
|
PRAISE for My Pet Dragon
Review by Hadley Tomicki for www.lataco.com "Perhaps the day's best discovery (at the Artwallah Festival) was My Pet Dragon, comprised of the newly-wedded team of Reena Shah and Todd Michaelsen, who recently appeared on Karsh Kale's new album. Reena's dancing combines her classical training melded with a current, improvisational spirit. Todd, just a lone man with a guitar, seemed to fill the entire downtown area with the force of an entire rock band with beautiful, bittersweet songs, carried across with a stunning voice of lifting intensity, power and flexibility, reminding us of My Morning Jacket singer Jim James' acoustic record crossed with the steady power of Coldplay's Chris Martin (uh, but cooler, sorry for the comparison, Todd). The two are as noticably in love as their song-and-dance combination are forceful and stunning. We imagine more than a few copies of their new CD First Born flew off the tables Saturday, as TACO picked one up ourselves." >br> Review of My Pet Dragon's "First Born" by Sarika Dani for www.ethnotechno.com *****(5 out of 5 stars) " A big contributor to the "dreamy" dialogue is Michaelsen's soaring vocals. Comparisons to Thom Yorke and Jeff Buckley come easily and immediately, but the likeness diminishes the more you listen-and realize that the emotion in his voice stems from a place that is entirely his own. Michaelsen cites Sigur Ros, Nine Inch Nails, Karsh Kale, and Bjork as influences, noting that he likes "the sounds and emotions you can get out of blending organic and electronic elements together." Michaelsen does this skillfully on the moody, hypnotic "New York Underwater," and the meandering but rhythmic "Space Love 3000" and "Dreamer's Despair," which both layer guitar and vocals with scattered beats into lush, spaced-out soundscapes. But on tracks like "Born on a Sunday," "The Painter," and "First Born King," Michaelsen tones down the production and favors a simple, acoustic folk sound. It's these variations that reflect the versatility of his talent." See the full review at Ethnotechno.com MY PET DRAGON'S MySpace www.myspace.com/mypetdragon |
|
|
|
