UpHere Magazine's review of Michael's new song, “Heart And Soul”: 

Michael Lyon delivers a modern folk call for unity and hope in “Heart And Soul”

CR Indie in Costa Rica provides this feedback about the recent single, "Standing In The Breach": https://www.cr-indie.com/post/michael-lyon-y-la-fuerza-de-standing-in-the-breach

Translation:

Michael Lyon and the power of “Standing In The Breach”
 
"Some songs are born out of necessity, from that inner impulse that brooks no delay. “Standing In The Breach,” by the American artist Michael Lyon, is one of them. It’s not a song written to please, but rather a piece that arises from bewilderment and indignation, as a response to a social climate that threatens to stifle freedom and empathy.
 
Michael Lyon, with his clear voice and singer-songwriter sensibility, transforms anguish into a song of resistance. The song opens with a somber, almost confessional tone, which soon evolves into a collective call to action. The rhythm is firm, sustained, as if each chord were a step in a march. The melody, however, does not sink into darkness: it rises with a hopeful glow, reminding us that even in times of fear, music can be a refuge and a unifying force.
 
The most powerful aspect of “Standing In The Breach” is its ability to balance denunciation with hope. Lyon doesn’t simply point out the horror of a country he feels has been disfigured, but proposes a path forward: to remain positive, to trust in constitutional principles, and to rely on empathy and reason. The lyrics convey this tension between pain and the possibility of a better future, and they do so with a sincerity that is impossible to ignore.
 
The song draws on the artists direct experience at the No Kings protests, where he discovered the diversity of voices united by a common purpose. This experience translates into the song as an invisible chorus, an echo of thousands of people who recognize themselves in the same struggle. Musically, Lyon manages to make that collective energy palpable in every measure, as if the song itself were an open plaza where everyone is welcome."

Costa Rica's CR INDIE published this review of Michael's single, “Say It Ain't So” - https://www.cr-indie.com/post/michaellyon-folk-americano-con-conciencia-y-filo-en-say-it-ain-t-so 

English translation: 

American Folk with a Conscience and Edge in ‘Say It Ain’t So'

"In a musical landscape that often prefers the safe to the meaningful, Michael Lyon emerges as a mature, lucid, and profoundly honest voice. His song “Say It Ain’t So” is not just a song: it’s a plea wrapped in folk chords, an elegy to the democratic ideal that once symbolized the United States. 

With three decades of experience under his wing, MichaelLyon isn’t afraid to tackle what many artists avoid. “Say It Ain’t So that the land of immigrants, freedom, democracy… long celebrated as ‘America the Beautiful’ is now rapidly devolving into an autocracy.” There’s no metaphor here: there’s urgency. The lyrics get straight to the point, channeling a musical tradition that unites roots music with social commitment, in the style of Woody Guthrie, Phil Ochs, or, more recently, artists like Ani DiFranco and Jason Isbell. 

Musically, the song relies on restrained instrumentation, warm guitars, percussion that doesn't distract, and arrangements that accompany without overpowering, allowing the essential to emerge: the voice, the message, the raw emotion. "Lyon's" vocal delivery is restrained but firm, like someone who has experienced what he sings about. The result is not pamphleteering, but poetic.

Anger is tinged with sadness, and criticism is born from a love for an idea that feels betrayed. “Say It Ain't So” is, at its core, a song that challenges. It doesn't simply point out what's wrong, but invites us to reflect on what we could do better. It's the kind of music that reminds us that art, when committed, can also be resistance. For those who enjoy discovering new music with real content, this song represents an excellent gateway into the universe of Michael Lyon, an artist who not only writes songs, but also raises questions. Uncomfortable, necessary human questions."

Among the reviews of the single, “The Guy Who Won": here are links to a few of them: 

https://medium.com/@boyziibusiness/michael-lyons-political-satire-unveiled-the-guy-who-won-redefines-folk-rock-e72b1ade382e

https://hailtunes.com/michael-lyons-stirring-anthem-the-guy-who-won-echoes-truth-and-hope-in-turbulent-times/

https://www.saiidzeidan.com/the-guy-who-won-by-michael-lyon/

https://dulaxi.com/michael-lyons-the-guy-who-won-a-soulful-ode-to-leadership-and-triumph/

Reactions to the latest album release, WHAT COULD BE:

Click here on the sunny day to check out RGM's interview about the release of Michael's album, WHAT COULD BE...

RGM INTRODUCING – WE INTERVIEW AMERICAN ARTIST MICHAEL LYON