Customer Reviews

Broken Things

5 star:		(46)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

This album is one of my very favorite alt.country albums, and indeed, one of my favorite albums of any genre. I'm not sure if it's better than Car Wheels, but it's at least on par.

My favorite part is Julie's voice. She has an awesome Texas accent, and her voice is innocent (I guess), but she still can sing seriously emotional and powerful songs. The vocal harmonies with Buddy are great also, and are haunting. I really, really like her voice. It is much more powerful, emotional, darker, and mystical sounding than Lucinda Williams. I cannot think of anybody in particular to compare her to -- she sounds like nobody else.

The song writing is also top-notch. A lot of the songs have really traditional foundations (such as All My Tears). It makes it have a very dark feel. It is a very dark album overall, but extremely beautiful, emotional, and insipired.

Buddy's guitar work is also top notch. The opening chords of Orphan Train and All My Tears are some of the most powerful moments on the whole disc.

I cannot recommend this album enough -- I think that it would appeal to most music lovers with an interest in Americana, rock, and/or country music. It is definitely my favorite album so far of 1999 (and I've bought a LOT of CD's this year!)

I know that most reviews on this website tend toward hyperbole, but truly, this is a fantastic collection of music by an artist who deserves to be more well known.

Julie is one of those artists that radio stations and music stores don't quite know what to do with -- which is why unless you're a particular kind of music fan you've probably never heard of her. Country? Folk? Alternative Country (whatever that means)? Pop? Rock? It has elements of all of it, fused into a sensibility that is both authentic and full of passion.

That she pulls this off without sounding like a hodge-podge of disparate influences is no mean feat. I don't know of too many singers who could sing a song like "Broken Things" -- as emotionally raw a song as I've heard in years -- without coming across as cloying and hackneyed. But she does it with a style a sense of nuance and genuine feeling that almost makes me cry every time I listen to it.

This music can make you profoundly sad and profoundly happy all at the same time -- with a myriad of other feelings in between. And if that isn't enough for you, it has the Buddy Miller stamp of approval.

I bought this CD after reading an article about the Millers in No Depression Magazine. I'd heard the name for years, but thought she was just a bit of pop fluff. This CD showed me how wrong I was! Just plain great alt.country/rock/americana.I love the song 'Orphan Train'. The Millers move in a circle of the great artists of our time and you will see their names everywhere. Some great guest artists on this CD that other reviewers haven't mentioned -- Producer Phil Madeira on b3, NRBQ's Joey Smapinato on Bass, The Choir's Steve Hindalong. John Shreiner on keys an accordian. A duet with Victoria Williams. Not to mention, of course, Emmylou Harris and Steve Earle. This is not just a Julie Miller album! My only negative comment is that on a few songs, she sounds a bit too Leslie/Sam Phillips-ish. You would almost think she had a more powerful voice, but was holding her voice back for some unknown reason.

i do so try not to gush, but ms. miller astonishes, both on this album, and in concert with her husband, buddy. her voice goes from a nanci griffith little-girl whisper to a hard catty yowl, with stops along the entire emotional spectrum...she's the Real Deal, maybe the Realest.

this album is its own reward: not a bad cut on it, shows unusual range, both musically and lyrically, and built for heavy rotation on your cd player. personal favorites jump depending on the mood -- right now it's the title cut, and "i know why the river runs."

why she's not better known to the general public is one of those eternal mysteries -- but at least that means you can see her in the smaller nightclubs when she comes through town. She's certainly got a devoted following in the singer-songwriter community, and can be found on albums by everyone from emmylou to kasey chambers. Like "The Captain"? julie's singing harmony.

be warned. this album will cast a spell. over time, you may start craving a listen like a caffeine addict needs espresso...but i envy you your first hearing of Broken Things, like i envy anyone's first trip to paris.

Julie Miller has actually been recording with her husband Buddy for close to 20 years. Only now is she finally receiving the credit and accolades she deserves. This is thanks in large part to the Miller's collaboration with Emmylou Harris. Julie is responsible for the beautiful song "All My Tears" featured on Emmylou's "Wrecking Ball." Julie sings it herself here, but it is only one of many amazing songs on "Broken Things."

In the past few months, Buddy and Julie have been on Austin City Limits with Emmylou, and have been featured on NPR! I'm so excited for them!

The title track of this CD is actually another reprise from many years ago, but here Julie's mature voice and Buddy's brilliant guitar work make the song really shine.

I saw Buddy and Julie in concert a few months ago and was blown away by not only their talent but by the sheer joy with which they perform this music. They were also a lot of fun to watch on stage. I commented on his "Circle of Dust" hat from the audience. They made up a song called "Circle of Dust" on the spot! And if you don't know the story behind "Strange Lover," you've got to find someone who does!

Among my favorites here are the haunting "Orphan Train" and the melodic "Ride the Wind to Me." But there are literally NO BAD CUTS on this CD.

If you love passionate female vocalists and superb country/folk instrumentation, you probably already listen to Buddy and Julie Miller. If not, you're missing something awful good!

I heard Julie Miller yesterday on audiogalaxy.com. The song I heard was called "Ride The Wind To Me" At first listen, I loved her beautiful and haunting voice, along with her passionate delivery. Based on this, I checked out the album, I love it! her lyrics, her voice, and her style which weaves blues, folk, and country in to something completely Julie Miller! I can compare her delivery to that of Sarah McLachlan both in the studio and live. I love Sarah, she's one of my favorite singer/songwriters of all time, but Julie's passionate delivery surpasses her! my favorite tracks are "I Need you" "All My Tears" "I Still Cry" and "Ride The Wind To Me" buy this CD!! you won't be disappinted! Julie has taught me to make my delivery more passionate and something very valuable about songwriting. I will put this into practice, since I am a singer/songwriter. I heard that Julie has a muscle disease and she is in constant pain. I admire her courage and perseverance to spread her gift to everyone who listens to her!! She is an incredibly gifted singer and lyricist. I love the fact that her husband Buddy also plays and sings on the record! buy this album! keep rockin', Julie!

I am one of the fortunate few who have a significant number of Julie's Contemporary Christian albums: "Meet Julie Miller", "he Walks Through Walls" and "Orphans and Angels". I love those albums, especially the first one. This current album, "Broken Things" is another fine effort. My personal favorites are the peppier songs like "Ride The Wind To Me", "I Know Why The River Runs", "Out in the Rain", and "All My Tears". The other cuts are also good, but are more mellow and reflective. Julie is a uniquely gifted artist: I highly recommend you give this CD a good listen!

this is simply the best recording of the year from an artist whose passion seems to know no boundaries, especially with regard to the human heart and soul. plaintive, simple stories told in the cold light of day juxtaposed to sly rocking humor ie., "i need you". a pox on the radio stations not playing julie miller's truly wonderful music.

I had the recent luck to catch Julie and Buddy Miller as the warm-up band for a GREAT Emmylou Harris concert at the Zephyr Club in Salt Lake. The combined sensitivity, rawness, and haunting quality of Julie's song writing and voice, along with Buddy's blow-you-away electric guitar and honky-tonk voice, hooked me--big time. I bought Julie's "Broken Things" CD and continue to be drawn further under her spell. If you like Patty Larkin, Lucinda Williams, Emmylou's "Wrecking Ball" and "Red Dirt Girl" CDs, you'll probably be drawn into the spell of "Broken Things", too. Difficult to classify into country or blues or rock, each song is captivating, leaving you with a completely different feeling. Compare for example "All my Tears", "I Still Cry", "Out in the Rain", and "Strange Lover", songs with superb yet cryptic lyrics about violence in northern Ireland, loss of a loved one, heartache, and a lover's cocaine addiction, respectively--totally different topics done in completely different musical styles and arrangements, all fantastic. Give it a listen, or two, or more, and I challenge you to resist buying more CDs or buying some for your friends! (That's what I'm doing today on Amazon.com!)