Broken Things

by

Julie Miller

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The only way I can think of to describe Julie Miller's voice is to tell you that, if one could eat it, it would probably taste like peanut brittle; sweet and sugary, yet with plenty of crunch. I hope that doesn't sound too silly. On each track, she sings of profoundly adult subjects with the voice of a frightened, yet determined little girl who grew up a little too quickly. It's this vulnerable little girl quality that endears her to me. She awakens the part in me that feels the need/desire to protect another.

Her melodies are among the most memorable I've ever heard. They effortlessly soar, lilt, build to a climax and soften to a timid murmur. Her emotional delivery is 100% authentic. I just can't believe that anyone could falsely manufacture a sound that raw and beautiful.

As for production, she leans toward sparce orchestrations, giving each intrument a crucial role rather than using the twinkly bits and predictible fill-ins that we've come to expect from Contemporary Country Music. That's not to say that she's a country musician. The beat patterns and the mildly distorted guitars tend more toward roots rock than toward Nashville, thank goodness. The acoustic guitar work, the acoustic guitar being the principal instrument on the verses of many of the tracks, is beautifully arranged and brilliantly complements the vocal track(s).

If you already have Lucinda Williams, Casey Chambers, Emmylou Harris, & Patty Griffin in your CD Collection, "Broken Things" is sure to be a completely safe and satisfying addition.