Rhett Miller - The Believer
Reviewed by aarik
Of his first solo project since 2002’s The Instigator, Rhett Miller said he planned to make a punk rock Ziggy Stardust, “but I wound up with George Gershwin does T. Rex's The Slider.” Whatever his intent, on The Believer, Miller (best known as front man for the alt.country band Old 97’s) has delivered a well-rounded collection of songs featuring irresistible hooks, earnest lyrics and a multitude of high-quality supporting musicians. With producer George Drakoulias (Black Crowes, The Jayhawks, Tom Petty) at the controls, Miller deftly mixes elements of straight ahead rock, alt.country and chamber pop. Opener “My Valentine” begins with a Baroque feel (thanks to Patrick Warren’s skillful Chamberlain part) before giving way to raucous guitars and Miller’s assertion that “Sex in war-time is sweeter then peace/Yeah, it’s the one sweet thing about war.” Overall, the orchestration on The Believer is varied and beautiful, excelling when Miller and Drakoulias allow the arrangement to accent the song, rather than become the focal point. Several understated gems include the poignant, humorous “Fireflies” (a duet with Rachel Yamagata), a reworking of the 97’s “Singular Girl” and the lilting “Brand New Way.” Another standout track is the Aimee Mann-Jon Brion penned “I Believe She’s Lying,” featuring an outstanding performance on guitar by Lyle Workman (Beck, Sheryl Crow). While the exceptional musicianship and production provided by Miller’s supporting cast often highlight his effortless, sincere songwriting, The Believer can on occasion sound a bit too slickly played and produced. As previously mentioned, Miller’s work sounds best when raw, natural emotion shines through and forced gravitas is avoided. Though its dissimilarity with some of Miller’s material with Old 97’s might keep a few listeners from immediately embracing The Believer, this is one of the best pop records of the young year. Miller has more than displayed his ability to function and succeed both in and out of a collective band setting. [www.rhettmiller.com]