On the Shelf 151: Rhett Miller
Aug. 18th, 2015 07:59 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bedsitter23People who have known me for awhile know I am a huge fan of Rhett Miller both in and out of his band- the Old 97s.
You have likely heard this before, but I think the Old 97s are one of the great unheralded bands of our time.
Reviewers and critics have often spoke of the dichotomy of Miller's solo work and his group work. It has generally been true. The Old 97s are what you might call Outlaw Country- rollicking country rock birthed from the rock side of Johnny Cash, cousin to bands like Wilco and the Bottle Rockets, descended from post-punk legends like X and The Replacements. Miller's solo albums largely have fixated on his pop side- the Beatles and Big Star- albums like the Instigator and The Believer are prime examples. Not miles apart from the Old 97s obviously, but differentiated enough to let Rhett do something more power pop than what he could do with his band. (His last album, The Dreamer in 2012 was way more in tune with what he has been doing with the 97s. It also may be his strongest solo platter to date, as he seems to grow in each solo effort)
It might not be a surprise that I prefer Old 97s head and shoulders over the solo work, but it is also a fact that Miller's solo discography is a nice enjoyable and generally consistent and yes, overlooked piece of art.
Built on all of this, i was very interested in seeing what was next for Rhett. The last Old 97s albums have been very strong, and I enjoyed The Dreamer a lot.
In this case, the next move is The Traveler.
The Traveler is an interseting next move for Rhett. I suppose it is alt-country but it is not the X(Exene-and-John)- inspired fire of Old 97s. It is folky and intimate, maybe closer to Ryan Adams than any previous Rhett project.
It is still a worthwhile listen, though I prefer the rock side of Rhett. It is interesting to see him develop this side of his music. It's not power pop as he has explored before, nor is it the Replacements inspired recklessness of last year's Old 97s disc "Most Messed Up". Part of the sound may be attributed to backing from Black Prairie, which features members of the Decemberists.
Opener "Wanderlust" shows some of the 97s fire, but opens an album that goes down some different paths, and you can catch a glimpse of some of the directions he is headed.
You have likely heard this before, but I think the Old 97s are one of the great unheralded bands of our time.
Reviewers and critics have often spoke of the dichotomy of Miller's solo work and his group work. It has generally been true. The Old 97s are what you might call Outlaw Country- rollicking country rock birthed from the rock side of Johnny Cash, cousin to bands like Wilco and the Bottle Rockets, descended from post-punk legends like X and The Replacements. Miller's solo albums largely have fixated on his pop side- the Beatles and Big Star- albums like the Instigator and The Believer are prime examples. Not miles apart from the Old 97s obviously, but differentiated enough to let Rhett do something more power pop than what he could do with his band. (His last album, The Dreamer in 2012 was way more in tune with what he has been doing with the 97s. It also may be his strongest solo platter to date, as he seems to grow in each solo effort)
It might not be a surprise that I prefer Old 97s head and shoulders over the solo work, but it is also a fact that Miller's solo discography is a nice enjoyable and generally consistent and yes, overlooked piece of art.
Built on all of this, i was very interested in seeing what was next for Rhett. The last Old 97s albums have been very strong, and I enjoyed The Dreamer a lot.
In this case, the next move is The Traveler.
The Traveler is an interseting next move for Rhett. I suppose it is alt-country but it is not the X(Exene-and-John)- inspired fire of Old 97s. It is folky and intimate, maybe closer to Ryan Adams than any previous Rhett project.
It is still a worthwhile listen, though I prefer the rock side of Rhett. It is interesting to see him develop this side of his music. It's not power pop as he has explored before, nor is it the Replacements inspired recklessness of last year's Old 97s disc "Most Messed Up". Part of the sound may be attributed to backing from Black Prairie, which features members of the Decemberists.
Opener "Wanderlust" shows some of the 97s fire, but opens an album that goes down some different paths, and you can catch a glimpse of some of the directions he is headed.
