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22 December 2023
Country music is one of the most discouraging genres out there. It used to be fucking amazing, back when cats like Hank Sr. and Willie Nelson made their debuts. But something happened, and country became this bland, poppy, flashy-white-trashy circus music that held no substance or class. And it’s stayed that way. The Dixie Chicks and Shania aren’t examples of country’s evolution. They’re examples of its sad, pathetic state.
What saves it from being a total disgrace is the existence of artists like BR549 and Hank Williams III. They brought back that traditional sound, and made it their own-- respecting it, not raping it. Scott Miller could be one of those saving grace artists, too, if he evolves carefully.
The problem with his record, Upside Downside, is that the most beautiful songs he’s written are uncomfortably sandwiched between run-of-the-mill pop country tunes. The kid can write a great song, melodically and lyrically. The first example of it is “The Way”. A nice, mellow country tune, with that male/female vocal duet I’m so enamored with in country. Unfortunately, it’s surrounded by tunes that can’t hold a candle to it.
That’s the first half of the disc. The latter half of the record is Miller at his best. Lyrics that tell stories, sounds mixing country, bluegrass, and folk-- I’m letting the slight poppiness of “I’ve Got a Plan” slide by here-- and a feel that this kid was paying attention to his Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan records. “Angel” is a beautiful little duet worth listening to on repeat; “Red Ball Express” finds Miller, his guitar and an accordion sounding more fierce than any “nu-metal” band on the airwaves; and “For Jack Tymon” closes the album appropriately, with a words of wisdom tune that made me feel like a little kid again, sitting in my parents old living room, hearing country for the first time.
If Miller can shake some of the poppy bugs out of his young country hair, I’ll buy every album from here on out. But if he can’t fight those mass appeal tendencies, I’ll settle for a borrowed listen.
CHECK IT OUT HERE.
PURCHASE THIS OR SIMILAR ITEMS
What saves it from being a total disgrace is the existence of artists like BR549 and Hank Williams III. They brought back that traditional sound, and made it their own-- respecting it, not raping it. Scott Miller could be one of those saving grace artists, too, if he evolves carefully.
The problem with his record, Upside Downside, is that the most beautiful songs he’s written are uncomfortably sandwiched between run-of-the-mill pop country tunes. The kid can write a great song, melodically and lyrically. The first example of it is “The Way”. A nice, mellow country tune, with that male/female vocal duet I’m so enamored with in country. Unfortunately, it’s surrounded by tunes that can’t hold a candle to it.
That’s the first half of the disc. The latter half of the record is Miller at his best. Lyrics that tell stories, sounds mixing country, bluegrass, and folk-- I’m letting the slight poppiness of “I’ve Got a Plan” slide by here-- and a feel that this kid was paying attention to his Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan records. “Angel” is a beautiful little duet worth listening to on repeat; “Red Ball Express” finds Miller, his guitar and an accordion sounding more fierce than any “nu-metal” band on the airwaves; and “For Jack Tymon” closes the album appropriately, with a words of wisdom tune that made me feel like a little kid again, sitting in my parents old living room, hearing country for the first time.
If Miller can shake some of the poppy bugs out of his young country hair, I’ll buy every album from here on out. But if he can’t fight those mass appeal tendencies, I’ll settle for a borrowed listen.
CHECK IT OUT HERE.
PURCHASE THIS OR SIMILAR ITEMS
artid
1602
Old Image
6_1_miller.jpg
issue
vol 6 - issue 01 (sep 2003)
section
entertainmental