Combining classical and contemporary elements with his own personal vision, Straugh is carving out his own niche within the new age music movement with music that is both strong and soothing. “The Open Door” begins with “Hand in Hand,” a love song full of contentment and hope. Gentle and lyrical, there is a sense of strength and of moving forward. “Halo” is innocent and light. “Cascades II” is quietly majestic - graceful yet commanding. “Winelight” is slightly more upbeat, but is very easy-going, relaxed, and quite beautiful. The melody for “Back Where You Belong” is strong enough to support lyrics, and seems to be giving advice and telling a story as well as warmly welcoming someone back. “Coming Home” is my favorite track. A sense of urgency and anticipation propels the piece forward and seems to say “I can’t wait to get there.” Lovely! The title track is a bit more abstract, as is the poem that accompanies it. The poem is full of paradox and contradiction, and the piece is somewhat darker and more improvised than the other ten tracks, searching and looking for answers. I like this one a lot, too. “Faerie” is a six-movement, twelve minute fairy tale set to music. Full of color and drama, this is quite an interesting suite. “The Open Door” is by far Michael Straugh’s best CD to date. Kathy Parsons Solo Piano Publications 10/1/07