On first listen, it is apparent that Elijah Miller is a passionate poet and born artist. His nearly always smoothly flowing words delicately weave a variety of thoughtful images and capture an appreciable range of feelings.

Also on first listen, this collection may not seem all that musically impressive. The basic songwriting and melodies are quite simple. In this day and age, that most often means derivative, and it is. (Who can escape that?)  However, largely due to highly refined production and expert instrumental accompaniment, the subtle voicing variations and numerous nuances grow on you with repeated listens. Lovingly set in an admirable orchestration of dynamics, the players float in and out and back and forth effortlessly, from open, sparse airiness, to crunchy, garbled grungy confusion. These are high marks of professionalism.

Yes, we’ll definitely be listening to this one more than a few more times in years to come.

Let’s take a brief word ride through each track:

1.  A favorite, the opener “furious armies” confidently escalates its unrelenting slow march across fields of facets. Its deceptively one-dimensional, gritty glittering, slow drone vocal melody plods like a soldier through the mud. And yet, through the tough trek, there is an incorrigible optimism shining ahead and above, leading the way to some kind of inevitably glorious victory—someday. Supporting players provide expert encouragement to this military man with always anchoring root-5 bass, perfectly matched innovative drumming, and wonderful Weezer/U2-like guitar work that supports, soars and triumphs. Love the guitar slow fade-in, evolving tone at 2:09! An exceptional creation.

2.  Enter the 1-2-3 waltz “stain”, albeit with heavy lyrical emphasis, as usual. A good mix that is a bit silly and fun, and mostly more than a bit serious. Fine build up and complementary, well-coordinated and flowing musicianship. A sweet, poignant violin singing in at just the right times, a solidly supportive and sensitive rhythm section, and a melodic guitar alternating appropriately between clean and dirty tone, all make up the perfect blend with Elijah’s prolific poetry of surprise and delight. A King Crimsony flavor to parts of this one, with that fuzzy hollow tube guitar sound and diminished chords, largely originated by Mr. Fripp. The welcome instrumental interlude at about 2/3 in takes us for a happily melodic, lilting and spirited ride. Next we find ourselves hitting back into the more serious minor-based, darker intensity. Lots and lots of fit-’em-into-the-music-as-needed words, Dylanesque style—gotta say it all! Suddenly, it’s over with a sweet little vocal finale, dedicated and committing that “I will give just to you…”.

3.  No, it’s not What the Man Said—it’s nothing so nearly characteristically McCartney lyrical light. Instead, this “boy on the moon” waxes much more poetic in lyric, and poignant in music. Like other tracks here, this one builds, adding layer by layer, rising up into a slamming intensity. At its climax finale, the passionate pleading for the boy to “come back” is underscored by a 4-count hammer crescendo of semi-chaos with which to take us up and out, rising in his spaceship, taking off smoothly into outer space. Quite a trip…

4.  “muscle breaks” mixes it up a bit, as the solitary live piece here, though it’s hard to tell the difference from the studio cuts—next to no room ambience is detectable, and there are no crowd sounds. Regardless, like the rest, it is a high quality song and a fine recording, likely done direct-from-board. The feel here is a slightly sprightly bittersweet happy sadness, featuring prominent violin and a wonderful surprise banjo twangin’! Such a beautiful scene do they all paint together, happily married to a lovingly sloshy percussion. Marvelous composition and performances all around.

Reviewed by Mike Ososki

admin Mike Ososki, Reviews Hawk and Dove, Rocking Chair