The musical shock of this year for me is "The Believer" the new album by Rhett Miller. I have been quite un-moved by Miller's past efforts, which have all seemed professionally crafted, reasonably honest, and reliant on the fantasies of past-their-prime critics and fans who wanted to hear much more than was actually available in Miller's ouvre'. Inoffensive, but all hope, no dreams. Props of course for effort, but call me when you get something real.
I got the call. "The Believer" shares many of the joys of Nile's "Streets" mentioned below but with a suburban rather than urban life-force. This is much more Tom Petty than Tom Verlaine. Miller has found ways to hatch new life into some popular but over-fished ponds. His melodies zig and zag perfectly between familiar and unexpected but never fail to reach home with exhilaration and elan. This is not easy to achieve. And the bad part of me is totally unmoved by the failures, no matter how noble (you should never discuss band like Apples in Stereo with me).
This succeeds. Big Time. And, Boys and Girls, he's a looker too.
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