The Tender Place is a compilation album covering MWK’s solo work from 1999 - 2005. It was released across Europe by the German label Phantasmagoria. (www.sireena.de). The album contains 19 tracks, all selected by Michael, and taken from his albums God Shaped Hole, A Decent Man and Absent Friends. It also includes two new recordings. A brand new song, ‘From Out Of The Blue’, co-written with Danish songwriter Michael Hamilton, along with a cover version of ‘A Simple Twist of Fate’, a track recorded for Mojo magazine's Dylan Covered cover mount cd. As with all King’s releases, the album is beautifully packaged, this time in a triple fold-out, digi-pack format, and features extensive liner notes written by Jackie Leven. The Tender Place is an ideal resume of Kings solo work thus far, from the dark despairing moods of God Shaped Hole , recorded in the wake of a near fatal car crash, the loss of his manager , his record label and the collapse of his band, through to the more life affirming A Decent Man, produced by Jackie Leven and MWK’s first collaboration with the outstanding musicians who would later make up his new touring band The Decent Men, for a series of amazing lives shows which were then personified in tracks from the 2004 live album Absent Friends. REACTION TO "THE TENDER PLACE" As fine a singer songwriter as Gram Parsons Chris Hillman Michael Weston King is an exceptional songwriter. Word Like Phil Ochs, Tim Hardin or Townes Van Zandt, King transmutes squalor and self-laceration into pure gold ****Mojo A glorious collection of one of our truly great songwriters, singers, and performers. Maverick 5***** out or 5 The songs collected in The Tender Place are already enough to secure his reputation as a performer in the same league at Phil Ochs, Townes Van Zandt and Tim Hardin. Whisperinandhollerin 10********** out of 10 Every track is a gem. An album that should be in the collection of every self-respecting alt. country fan, and every fan of superb writing and performing too. Americana- Uk 8******** out of 10 Buy this album and hear Americana redefined through a different sensibility and perspective, by a major talent. 3rd Coast Music, Texas 4.5**** out of 5 Every track here is a celestial gem,. There is no better introduction to one of the country's finest singer songwriters, not just in the realms of Americana-flavoured rootsy pop but in contemporary music per se. What’s On 5***** out of 5 An erudite, articulate songwriter, someone you really need to give time to listen to. Bucketful of Brains Like all great pop songs, his work manages to be both a universal yet intensely personal listening experience. The Morning Star "The Tender Place” is an excellent chance to get known with one of the finest singer/songwriters in his genre. You will rarely find more meaningful lyrics. Bergens Tidende (Norway) 5***** out of 6 Dagbladet (Norway) 5***** out of 6 King has a great voice, Deep and dark and, at times, desperate like the songs but his humour and putting himself into perspective lighten the mood, while the ghost's of Hardin and Buckley look on . Plato (Holland) MWK could be descirbed as the country-version of Jackie Leven. Mix it with the sound of Springsteen’s “Tunnel of love” and a recorded song by Townes Van Zandt and then you will know what it’s like.” Firdaposten (Norway) 4**** out of 6