Michael Paynter: Weary Stars

There is absolutely no doubting past Voice contestant Michael Paynter has an incredible singing talent; shown the whole way through his newest album, Weary Stars.
Kicking off the album is a song you have heard plenty of times before, ‘How Sweet It Is’, an old single released by Paynter during his time with major record label Sony BMG in 2011, an odd choice for me as there are plenty of great fresh new tunes on this album.
Paynter’s third track, ‘Love the Fall’, also released by Sony in 2010, has achieved a Gold status in Australia even before this release. There is a breath of fresh air when Paynter’s newest single and title track ‘Weary Stars’ comes in at track number four. With a catchy chant in the chorus and a small amount of success so far, it pushes Paynter in a new direction, with a slight image change since his days with Sony.
Finally in this independent release, Paynter has the ability to be the artist he wants to be, finding a unique sound between the emo rock of his past and commercialised pop in his later, fresher tracks – even adding in a softer track, ‘Novocaine’, a standout on the CD where throughout there is only the soft touch of keys and a string section, adding to Paynter’s phenomenal vocal talent.
After listening to the first few tracks, I was pleasantly surprised at Paynter’s first independent release. Weary Stars is definitely worth a listen.
Release: out now via independent release
Written by Oliver Friend