RHYE with BOULEVARDS
Thalia Hall Chicago
Thursday March 8 2018

Rhye.
Quiet and sophistication.
Rhye is now entirely driven by Canadian singer Michael Milosh- and touring on his new album “Blood”.
Talk about a cool blend of dream pop and silky smooth vocals.
Michael Milosh has developed the sound with a full fledged band, with the approach to the album “Blood” born out of a live environment and performance.
The songs are intertwined with the pains with what Michael has been going through over the past few years- A divorce, problems with his old record label, and losing his musical patrner and having to go it alone for the album “Blood”.
The song “Waste”, off of the new album performed live at Thalia Hall…a hushed singing voice from Michael, with a clear glassy tone is utterly unique and bordering on the spiritual.
The whole show- production done in subtle hues in regards to lighting, set the mood of gentle and quiet melancholy…faint whispers of romance, and taking risks with honesty and a soothing voice letting you know that things may not be so good, but will get through this together, and get it right and just.
And so the show goes from beginning to end in this kind of manner of beauty and understated but brilliant music.
It’s nice to hear Rhye in such a cool and intimate venue such as Thalia Hall- a soft touch to balance all the other sexually intense R&B acts currently playing today.
I’ll take mellow and chill with heartache anytime.
Opener Jamil Rashad (Boulevards)- is a complete 180 from Rhye.
Here’s a guy who’s definitely immersed in funk and R&B- think James Brown with a little Parliament Funkadelic thrown in.
And that’s a good thing.
Definitely Boulevards is uplifting and knows how to work a stage- let alone a main dance floor parting seas for a bit of “Soul Train” boogie to end his set.
Party themed jams are the order of the day with Boulevards.
All n’ all – a splendid show from beginning to end.
Cheers- Bobby Talamine – Music Photographer