The older I get, the more I respect time, including the time of others, so I’ll get right to the nut of it. If you enjoy thoughtful, relatable, and deftly constructed lyrics, interesting and hummable melodies and arrangements, and rock-solid instincts and musicianship, check out John R. Miller.
We saw him last night at Vinyl in Atlanta, and the performance was pro on all levels, including his smoking and dialed-in band. A flawlessly synced bass and drum, which was layered with soaring fiddle and an accomplished guitar-work (with pedal steel for which I’m a sucker) and electric mandolin (I think; I forgot to count the pegs.)
As I looked around the venue between songs, I was struck by the fact that there was still standing room because this guy and his band deserve a bigger audience, in my opinion. There’s a hard-earned purity to his material, and if it just so happens to work out that way, sometimes certain tunes can have a roadhouse commercial edge, too, which keeps the set driving in a live show. That’s one of the things that first attracted me to the music of John R. Miller: the depth and variety of his songs in style, subject, and general execution, from deft, accessible singer-songwriter, to clever, high BPM rock tracks on the foibles of middle-class survival. Another thing that caught my ear early on is his vocal style. It’s not spoken, because he’s always perfectly on pitch with his melodies, but it sounds intimate because there is no affectation in his style, no exaggerations of vowels. Most tracks to me are delivered as storytelling, confession or both, regardless of whether they’re with the full-band or solo acoustic. The performance is authenticity, I’d say.
So, I wanted to support this bunch beyond going to the show, but I was torn at the merch table between the CDs, T-shirt, or hat. I tried to figure out which would do the band more good financially. Ultimately, I decided on the T-shirt since it turns me into a free billboard, though the hat might have been equally viable given my hairline.
This outfit will be on the road for the near future, and if they come to your town or anywhere near it, I recommend seeing this show. They are growing their following the old-fashioned way, and I think John R. Miller and the Engine Lights deserve TV exposure, late night, SNL, something.
For our show, the opening act was Ferd, and they dialed up the energy with the fiddle, bass and banjo tunes delivered with joy, humor, and mastery of their instruments. Keepin’ an eye out for those boys. And here’s their site, so you can get on their list if you’re of a mind. If any of you film producers need an authentic old-time band, the fellas are performance- and camera-ready. Got a little bit of a Levon Helm vibe vocally.