A professional musician since the age of twelve, Drayton Michaels has certainly taken a while to release his first album. Four years in the making, 'Low Stress In The Deep End' is actually well worth the wait. Michaels has experience in jazz, pop, soul and rock and has successfully fused them together into an excellent body of work. In fact there are three songs here which are brilliant: 'Anyway', 'Everybody' and 'So Cautious' all boast the kind of hook-filled arrangements and clever structure of prime period Steely Dan. Michaels' voice is precise but always emotive and together with a talented array of supporting band members it's hard to believe this is an independent release. For this is an intelligent and infectious record that is strong enough to reach out to both adult rock and alternative fans alike.