Lineage is a very personal as well as beautiful collection of eight original guitar pieces by Michelle Qureshi that were inspired by the triple goddess energy of Maiden-Mother-Crone and how that energy relates to her own life. Often very poignant yet warm and soothing, Michelle sought to capture the sweet and powerful flow of love between her daughter and herself as well as between herself and her late mother, and then cycling back to Earth to her daughter and herself. The instrumentation on the album includes acoustic guitars, keyboards and synths, an octave lower guitar, and, on one track, ukulele - all performed by Michelle. The sequence of the titles/tracks aligns with Michelle's dual roles as the caretaker for her mother at the end of her life and, later, as a mother overflowing with joy and love for her newborn daughter. The album was mastered by Tom Eaton at Sound and Substance, and (as usual) the sound quality is amazing.

In addition to being a devoted and loving mother and daughter, Michelle Qureshi is a classically-trained and award-winning composer and multi-instrumentalist with fifteen albums, 33+ singles and three EPs to her credit - so far! She is also known for her Harmonic Sound Immersion™ event, something of a "horizontal concert" that is a transformative sound meditation created by the healing vibrations of ancient and modern instruments.

Lineage begins with "Days So Long," a heartfelt piece for guitar with atmospheric keyboard accompaniment. Very open and spacious, the emotional experience of a loved one gradually slipping away is sad but also incredibly powerful. "Love What You Have" is played on guitars, slide guitar and synths, and is somewhat more ambient even though the words of the title seem to be "spoken" by the instruments in a few places - interesting! "This Shade of Love" is played on guitars and is as warm and tender as a mother's deep love for her daughter. "Unbroken Love" is also for guitars, one of which is pitched an octave lower than the others, creating a rich, full balance while maintaining the lightness of the sound of the acoustic guitars. There is a beautiful, dreamy quality to this piece that seems to express the assurance that one is deeply loved - as only a devoted mother (or a caring daughter) can give. "So We Walked" is a short (just over a minute) piece for guitar and keyboard that is perfect in its brevity. To me, it seems to be expressing a cherished memory of a time shared - especially as it quietly trails off at the end. "Time To Let Go" is both heartfelt and bittersweet, expressing feelings of loss and sadness, but also acknowledging the beauty of a soul being freed. "Night Arrives" has a hushed, gentle quality and is something of a duet for two guitars, one that's brighter and a bit more lively, and one that is more poignant and introspective. My interpretation is that this reflects the mix of emotions that come with the loss of someone we love. The last piece, "Rest Now," was created with three voices: ukulele, guitar, and the octave lower guitar, and serves as both a lullaby for Michelle's infant daughter and a final, emotional "goodbye" to her beloved mother. Again, very gentle and heartfelt, it's the perfect closing to a truly exceptional album.

Lineage is available on Amazon, Apple Music/iTunes and many streaming platforms. Don't miss it!