Search - Rhett Miller :: Rhett Miller

The people at Rolling Stone got it right...

Timberly Deville | 06/09/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"...when they said Rhett Miller's new, self-titled album was the best so far. Unfortunately, they were a star short with their Four-Starred assessment.



As a long-time fan of both Rhett's solo career as well as the Old 97's, I feel like Rhett has really outdone himself with this album. Lyrically, it's what we've all come to expect from this gifted song-writer with lines like, "hollow your heart out and hold out your hope/ god give me strength and a good length of rope" (Nobody Says I Love You Anymore).



Whereas his earlier albums seem more pop-oriented, Rhett has successfully managed to mix rock (Happy Birthday Don't Die) with country (Another Girlfriend) as well as his usual sixties-inspired pop (If It's Not Love). This is a great album that new fans will easily fall in love with and will remind die-hards why we fell in love in the first place.



Personal Favorites:



Nobody Says I Love You Anymore

I Need To Know Where I Stand

Sometimes

"

Haphazardly

Howlinw | California, USA | 06/12/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As a long-time Old 97s fan, I've noticed a shift in that band's sound as frontman Rhett Miller has developed his solo career. After Satellite Rides, which was in all honesty a pop-rock record, the Old 97s headed back toward their original country-rock turf (albeit with an increased leaning towards the pop side of the rock spectrum). Meanwhile, Rhett Miller released a series of albums (The Instigator and The Believer) which indulged his pop sensibilities and gave him room to explore different genres. This duality worked well for Rhett Miller, but despite some strong sets of songs he had yet to release a real masterpiece. This one, IMHO, is that masterpiece.



This is a subtle album of carefully-contructed mature pop, which brings out the best of Rhett's pure songwriting abilities. Rather than doing a track-by-track analysis (no need, all of them are fantastic), I'll just say that each track is unique and often stunning in its novelistic lyrical detail and memorable melodiousness. Rhett has moved past the lovable sad-sack character he protrayed in much of his earlier work, which is refreshing. His themes have become more universal and his stories more off-kilter in an entertaining and poignant way. As much as I have loved the last two Old 97s records, I have a feeling that this is the one I will be reaching for first when I just have to hear Rhett's voice and words.



In a year where many great albums are being released (Wilco, Cracker, Eels, U2, John Hammond Jr., Tommy Keene, Tinted Windows, Neko Case, etc. etc.), this is the one that I think will end up making the greatest and most lasting impact on me. I knew Rhett had this in him."

A truly remarkable album

Aaron Black | Rochester New York | 06/20/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"By way of context, I have been a big Old 97s fan for many years as well as being quite familiar with Rhett's earlier solo efforts. I have seen the Old 97s live several times and Rhett play solo twice. Thus, I am in a good position to evaluate his newest release.



His self titled solo album is mature, extremely thoughtful, and unbelievably melodic. As much as I really like his first two albums, this one puts him into a different category among contemporary singer/songwriters: The top echelon. Without bothering with a song by song critique, I think it is fair to say that he has taken some real musical risks on this album. The time signatures are interesting, the lyrical and song structures are unpredictable, and the content is meaningful and insightful while still being a whole lot of fun. We live in an age of highly saturated exposure to mostly bad music. Rhett Miller has such skill at taking potentially wornout themes and a style of playing that is hardly new or innovative and finding his own voice, his own originality.



My only concern (are you listening Rhett????) is that his solo success will eventually detract from his involvement in the Old 97s (I bet he has never heard this worry before...). I really appreciate Rhett's solo work; however, the guys in the Old 97s have a way of grounding his melodic, popish sensibilities with spice and grit that collectively produces some of the most outstanding music of any contemporary band. OK, that may be just a tad of overstatement. In any event, this is a terrific album. Buy it."