Americana Highways Readers Poll Favorite Album March 2025 & Top Ten Album of 2025
Going to the Mountain
"... sophisticatedly charged... a bit of desert rock. A hot, dry, potent and ominous prickle of danger. His voice perfectly suits the genre since it waves and changes shape like a dune... There’s a delicacy to Rudd’s composition and he exudes this with finesse." Americana Highways
"Amongst breathtaking landscapes, Michael Rudd sings of a weary search for something he’ll never find... reflective words... Languorous instrumental layers are the perfect base for Rudd’s smoothly tuneful vocal performance." Americana UK
"Across its ten tracks, Rudd draws from his life experience to craft wizened Americana, folk, and roots rock. There are moments of lively rocking and more quiet and poignant slices of life, showcasing Rudd’s versatility as a songwriter." Glide Magazine
"Full of insightful songwriting, beautiful instrumentation, and wise-and-wonderful vocals, the 10 songs on the album are gritty, rootsy, bluesy, twangy, dusty-shuffle perfection." Vents
"Michael Rudd creates emotional landscapes in his songs... a gem, full of grit and longing, insight and inquiry into the things that make us human, providing a glimpse into stories that anyone can relate to. The music that he uses to further tell the stories is rich and full." Amplify Music Magazine
"These songs have a beautiful literary edge and attention to characters and stories deliberately on the margins..." Roots Highway
"Michael Rudd guides the songs, connecting the diverse sonics of each cut with a deep vocal that demands attention with its confidence.
Sonically, the sound of Going to the Mountain is a reflection of the Southwest desert that Michael Rudd calls home. The melodies are mysterious, the playing subtle as it drifts across the open space of the sparse background of guitar, bass, and drums along with the gentle touches of keyboards and other instrumentation." The Alternate Root
"It’s big and open like his gravelly voice... honest..." Off-Center Views
Ways of the World
"Rudd encourages deep thought with his music, soul searching of one’s place in the world. It’s fitting, then, that his new album is entitled 'Ways of the World.' Anyone who has searched and sought, journeyed through the nuances of change, contemplated mortality, or coped with the weight of daily life will find something that rings true among Rudd’s lyrics. The new album, the third in a quintet of rapid-fire album releases, is more of the glorious Americana we’ve come to love from Rudd; the dusty twang and rootsy-blues is resplendent and enveloping in all of the best ways, a satisfying listen from start to finish." Amplify
"It’s an often poetic album that examines the human condition by digging deeper and pondering transcendence rather than the quotidian. If you know New Mexico, a song like 'Water' resonates, though Rudd’s deep voice takes us to the depths of the soul. 'On My Way' oozes darkness, but again in a contemplative way. Rudd uses his strong baritone to sing the blues, bring us down, and lift us up." Off-Center Reviews
"...deep and soulful... The new record broadens his sonic palette while maintaining the reflective core that defines his work... intimate sketches... Musically, the album finds Rudd evolving his sparse folk and Americana that feels uniquely Southwest with its lyrics and compositions that unfold like the majestic landscape of the place he calls home. These are songs that burn slowly and connect deeply. At times, they rock, and elsewhere, they convey a sense of intimacy, but they also get delivered with passion and soul as Rudd continues to carve out his place as a quietly prolific troubadour worthy of attention." Glide
“Rudd’s music explores the "inner, secretive world" of the human experience, balancing themes of isolation and mortality—informed by a recent cancer diagnosis—with messages of redemption and joy. A former educator and school principal, Rudd’s "wizened" sound and desert-rock aesthetic have earned him critical acclaim and a dedicated following.” Curious Goldfish
"...it’s a stunner. With a lyrical and musical eloquence, Rudd explores the deeper questions in life about mortality, love, redemption, and understanding, his deep vocals sharing each word with emotion and resonance. Ways of the World is an epic listen..." Vents
“Rudd has vocal presence … and an outlaw virtuosity….Rudd manages to negotiate his music with a cruise through folk music that isn’t folky since his pen writes closer to the creative edge of Cole Porter, Hoagy Carmichael, Mickey Newbury & John Loudermilk.” Americana Highways
The Water is "...a quietly epic song that feels all the more powerful for its understated approach... Rudd’s characterful vocal performance has the moody feel of Nick Cave. The result is a darkly atmospheric exploration of a character who is struggling to maintain faith in himself while facing life’s challenges alone. Seeking love and connection, he eventually finds redemption and a kind of peace. This is affecting music to immerse yourself in... captivating, hauntingly atmospheric..." Americana UK
Long Way from Paradise
“...extremely infectious, soft as a Southwest breeze with a sonic expanse as wide as a desert.” The Alternate Root
“...a triumph of rediscovery and musical expression.” The songs on the album “...born from a place of introspection and self-discovery, reflecting Rudd’s journey back to his musical roots.” The Concert Chronicles
“....a collection of haunting original songs that address hidden contents of the human experience [and] chronicles the interior life of people somewhat adrift - their shame, regret, loneliness, and the potentially redemptive power of love.” Albuquerque the Magazine
Articles by Michael
10 Great Album Covers from Albums that Inspired a Singer’s Career Muse by Clios
Singled Out: Michael Rudd’s Going Away Anti-Music
Singled Out: Michael Rudd’s The Train is Coming Anti-Music
A Dirty Dozen with Michael Rudd 100 Percent Rock