| Aw. Believe me, there's absolutely no way you can resist reviewing a record when it's accompanied by a hand drawn self portrait by the artist that makes them look like one of Matt Groening's one eared "Life is Hell" rabbits(well actually, it doesn’t at all, but it brings out the same kind of empathy. Anyway...) Michael Miller's a new name on the scene - hailing from LA, he's already built up a substantial fan following and received a lot of attention thanks in no small part to his eclecticism which genuinely crosses musical boundaries, be they americana, indie, lo fi or whatever. With songs about - well, it's difficult to actually make out what's going on beyond general colloquial observations and dialogues on life - but it's all done with such a light touch and articulately that there's something genuinely poetic about Miller's musings. And the music itself is something else - beautifully arranged, with Tom McRae style understated vocals and that Sparklehorse type production which introduces you to another sonic layer to the songs with every new listen. That's not to say it's experimentation for the sake of it, as it's the songs themselves that stand out for the whole record, whether in this setting or, you imagine, played totally acoustically - they swerve around and tower above you as a listener - in particular the gorgeous title track and the minor keys of "Smile Priscilla." It's a record you go back to again and again, just to hear something new, which incidentally always ends up happening, a sign of its genuine depth. As for the illustrations, there's more where that came from on the sleeve and artwork. Reason enough in itself for a purchase, but ten minutes should have you hooked. |
