Customer Reviews

Cruel Moon

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
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Buddy Miller's latest disc, "Cruel Moon" is even better than his excellent "Poison Love". Once again he is assisted by fellow songwriters Jim Lauderdale and his wife Julie. He starts off with a raging country-rocker "Does My Ring Burn Your Finger", in which he peels off some stinging guitar leads. Over the course of the disc, Buddy moves from pure traditionalist country, to Memphis soul, to achingly beautiful ballads. The closing tune is a Pops Staples song done in a swampy, John Fogerty style. This disc, coupled with wife Julie's "Broken Things" released a couple of months ago, proves that the Miller family are making the most exciting music in Nashville right now. An excellent, excellent album.

After listening to music--pop, rock, country, jazz, just about about everything for 25 years--I would have thought that no one this good could just sneak up on me. I heard Buddy Miller for the first time when he was playing with Emmylou Harris during the Wreaking Ball tour. During the concert, all I could think was: Who is that guy on guitar? He had the chops, he had the voice, and it was obvious he was a person who lived for his music.

Since then I've gotten both Poison Love and this absolutely fantastic album. How good is it? Its as good as it gets. Every song is treat, the playing is more than first-rate, and the singing, is tight, emotional and perfect for each song.

Buddy Miller (along with his wife Julie) is one of music's true gems. He doesn't fit into any one catagory, he just makes great albums If you haven't heard anything by him yet, this album is a great place to start. Actually any album of his or Julie's will do the trick. Heck, while you're at it, check out any album he plays on. If he's on it, its gotta be good.

The other night, I heard a cut from this album, "Sometimes I Cry" on the radio. It struck me as one of the best crafted tunes that I have heard in a VERY long time. Simple, but elegant. The musicianship and instrumentation, the restained energy and the vocals all came together. Now that I have bought the CD, I am totally satisfied. This is a wonderful discovery for me and I hope you find it equally as exciting.

What is the definition of a great album? One that in 5/10/15 years you will still be playing and enjoying. Buddy Miller's "Cruel Moon" is one of these albums. With outstanding support from wife Julie, Buddy delivers the goods. This album contains some wonderful moments of poignancy and emotion that are testament to Buddy's songwriting, voice, guitar playing and interpretation of others works.

buddy miller works in the fringes of nashville, melding roots, rock, and country into one happy amalgam. his appearance on the last couple of emmylou harris albums does not seem at all surprising-- both share an iconoclastic approach to nashville's commercialism, sticking to music they want to play rather than what might sell a million records. that said, don't think this album is just preachy, far from it. instead, from the opening "does my ring burn your finger" to the closing pop staples' tune "it's been a change," this album takes you right down a mythical highway from austin, tx to johnson city, tn. it reminds you that the heart of country music was also its soul: giving voice to the trials and heartaches of living among, with, and for other people, especially those you love. the real highlights are the songs co-written with (or simply by) buddy's wife, julie, with "cruel moon," "somewhere trouble don't go," and sometimes i cry" standing out. even if you don't like country music, this album will grab you. get it and have fun.

My wife and I heard Buddy and Julie Miller as the warm-up group for Cry, Cry, Cry and they stole the show! Buddy's latest is his best and the lyrics just get better and better. With Julie's most recent Broken Things CD, they are on the cutting edge of Nashville today. Buddy and Julie, please convince your record label to let you tour in this part of the country and you will see the people who truly support this type of heart-provoking & at times just down right "fun" music to hum along too.

Buddy Miller is one of those musicians whose fated to always be better regarded by critics and fans than by radio programmers and the record buying public. Every couple of years he comes out with an outstanding "do-it-yourself" kind of record, on which his credits include singer, guitarist, songwriter, engineer, and producer. "Cruel Moon," perhaps his best to date, is the another fruit of his successful partnership with wife Julie Miller (herself an acclaimed but commercially unsuccessful out-of-the-Nashville mainstream artist). "Does My Ring Burn Your Finger" is an instant classic that's reminiscent of Hank Williams' finest songs (Williams' grandson. Hank III recorded a couple of Miller-penned songs on his debut album). You'll also hear the influences of Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle, and Jim Lauderdale--each of who appear and/or wrote songs--on this record. The songwriting, focused on solid, not-for-country-radio ballads, reminds you of Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark.

This is an great album. I'm not a country fan, just took a flyer based on the reviews I saw. Only negative: some lyrics could use some finessing, seem a bit forced. Otherwise, this album is varied, competent in a variety of formats, but most of all is truly heartfelt. This guy is not 'all hat, no cattle'. I recommend it even to old fogey Byrds-y folk rock fans like myself.Starts off rock/bluesy,gets instropective. Buy it, listen a few times, and make a custom tape. You won't regret it.

I like Buddy Miller a ton--his writing, his voice, and his production values set his discs apart from so many of the pretenders in this genre. However, the one aspect of his talent that is under-represented on his albums is his great guitar work (maybe he's afraid it would compromise the songs). As a picker, I'd like to hear more from his six string in places. Still, the double shot of "Take It Like a Man" and "Heartache Like You" might be 1999's best back-to-back digital moments. Buddy & Julie need to come to Chattanooga soon!

The dreck that passes for country on the radio these days...
Buddy Miller and his wife Julie compose and play beautiful, heartfelt music. As good a singer and composer as he is, Buddy's guitar playing is also fantastic. Turn off the radio and put some Buddy Miller CDs in the player. Listen to the real deal.
Thanks.