Customer Reviews

Midnight and Lonesome

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While his name may not immediately spring to mind when one mentions country music, Buddy Miller is without question one of the most talented musicians in the business. Combining traditional country music, Americana, and the nostalgia of early rock and roll, Miller's bluesy voice and astonishing guitar skills have won him recognition as one of alternative country music's premiere artists.

Folk music fans may remember Miller from his Grammy nominated album with wife Julie, Buddy and Julie Miller. On his latest CD, Miller's vast range of talents is proven once again. From the moment the opening chords of the Everly Brothers classic "The Price of Love" kick off the CD, it is immediately apparent that Midnight and Lonesome is not just the work of a musician, but of a true artist. Songs like the beautiful "I Can't Get Over You" and the title track demonstrate the heartache that comes from failed relationships, while the catchy guitar licks of "Water When the Well is Dry" and the rockin' "When It Comes to You" require the listener to at least tap his toes and even bust a few moves if necessary. "A Showman's Life," penned by folk/rock luminary Jesse Winchester, exposes a soulful, honest side of Miller's music with a tribute to the hardships of the music business. The album's closing track, "Quecreek," is a stunning tribute to the nine men who nearly died after being trapped in a Pennsylvania mine last July and shows Miller's ability to pen emotional numbers that can easily be placed in a social context.

If you like artists who possess sheer skill and musical talent, Midnight and Lonesome is the album for you. Buy a copy today and help give recognition to an extraordinary musician whose work has been unknown far too long.

BUDDY MILLER MIDNIGHT AND LONESOME

This record (and to quote Buddy's fellow Nashville troubadour Kevin Welch, "yes folks they're still records") constitutes a double landmark in contemporary American music. It signifies the best work of the best damn "country" musician and singer going around at the moment, and it places Buddy Miller on the verge of admission to the pantheon of contemporary country soul greats.

This exclusive club has few members, but all have earned their place through years of hard work, producing generous music of grace, gravity, humour, heart and a kick-[hiney] backbeat.

Buddy Miller is right up there with them, and can proudly stand shoulder to shoulder with Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Emmylou Harris, Lucinda Williams and Steve Earle (yes, Steve Earle, the one who had the guts to record "John Walker's Blues").

Interviewed last year here in Australia, Harris said "Buddy's amazing, he knows about everyone and everything". She referred to Miller as "the guy they call". Miller, in typically self-effacing fashion promptly denied this, but of course they do call him, and call him often. His work both as a performer, musician, producer and writer has become the standard for those aspiring to excellence in the genre.

The record again demonstrates Miller's impeccable taste in material and collaborators. In addition to his own outstanding work, he utilises some of today's elite contemporary songwriters including his precious Julie, Jim Lauderdale, and Jesse Winchester.

Julie's title track "Midnight and Lonesome" is yet another of her spirited rock thumpers, propelled by Bryan Owings big, big drums, and Larry Campbell's supple fiddle.

The Miller, Miller, Lauderdale team finds a gentle, seductive groove on "When It Comes To You" that refuses to quit, and takes you for a smooth ride.

Winchester's "A Showman's Life" is an articulate, soulful and honest take on the fickle, shadowy world of performance. If Buddy's "fevered chase of a tiny star", in this classic doesn't make you cry then you ain't got no tears.

As always, Buddy's covers are inspired, both in the selection and in the interpretation.

"The Price Of Love", (known to many as a "Bryan Ferry song", just like John Fogerty wrote "Grapevine". No offence John, but hey, hello, is anyone home ??), is plucked from the Everly Brothers catalogue and given the Miller makeover treatment. Respectfully, of course.

Buddy's take on Percy Mayfield's "Please Send Me Someone To Love" oozes soulful, countrified R&B class. Steve Earle hit the spot when he described Miller as "country's best singer, period".

For a bit of sexy, sassy jiggin', and reelin' and dancin' go straight to Little Bitty Kiss, but be real careful out there, 'cause "boy let me tell you loose lips sink ships".

If you're up for it select Buddy and Julie's "Water When The Well Runs Dry", turn up the volume, then turn it up a bit more, (then perhaps one more notch), fasten your seat belt, sit back any get ready to be propelled to rock and roll heaven, courtesy of Buddy's stinging guitar, with the push-push of the amazing Brady Blade in the engine room.

"Quecreek", is Buddy and Julie's pure and simple, honest to God celebration of our capacity to care. Please, please, please America, listen to these people [darnit] !!!

This is a passionate, righteously real record. If there's any justice, the Grammy's in the bag.

Don't ever stop wearing your heart on your sleeve Buddy Miller, and for as long as you keep that backbeat thumpin' we'll keep on jumpin'...

I pre-ordered this on the strength of his previous records, and while I was waiting for it to arrive, my wife and I saw Buddy Miller perform in Sydney. In understated style Buddy just walked onstage and got straight down to business with his enthusiastic drummer & bass player, (often jamming with them halfway through or at the end of a song) - his guitar playing was brilliant and his singing - 100% heart and soul finished off with twist of twang. His commitment and musical integrity were clear. This was one concert worth the 5 hour trip from our hometown to see.
The new record, 'Midnight and Lonesome' is a gem. Highlights abound: 'The Price Of Love', with Julie Miller - the best cover of this tune I've ever heard, the Hank Williams influenced 'Wild Card', 'I Can't Get Over You' a country tearjerker with Lee Ann Womack, the aching folk rock 'Midnight and Lonesome', a JJ Cale styled 'When It Comes To You', the exhilarating Bob Dylan/Neil Young influenced rocker 'Water When The Well Runs Dry", a cover of Jesse Winchester's 'A Showman's Life' with Emmylou Harris, the stompin' 'Litty Bitty Kiss', a cajun styled 'Oh Fait Pitti D'Amour' & the uplifting 'Quecreek' with Julie Miller.
As usual Buddy crosses a few genres here, but his music is firmly rooted in heartache 'n' honkytonk.
Buddy Miller's cd's never fail to move me - and the outstanding 'Midnight and Lonesome' tops my list of essentials for 2002.

Miller's fourth solo album for Hightone features the same canny mix of originals and covers as his previous three, along with the harmonies and songwriting of his wife, Julie. But as fine as their new songs are, the tracks that really give away the duo's roots are the covers. This time out, the Millers cover The Everly Brothers, Percy Mayfield and Jesse Winchester. The effortlessness of this combination of country, folk, blues and rock is as impressive as ever.

The Millers recast The Everlys' "The Price of Love" with swampy reverb-growling guitar and husband and wife harmonies more pointed than the originals. Percy Mayfield's 1950 R&B classic, "Please Send Me Someone to Love" is a perfect match for Miller's soulful delivery, supported by a beautifully balanced organ and acoustic-guitar arrangement. Similarly, Miller draws on the emotional depth of Jesse Winchester's pained first-person examination of life on the road, "A Showman's Life." The latter, an older album cut, shows off not only Buddy Miller's ability to cover a song, but his golden ears for picking material.

The eight new songs, written mostly by Buddy & Julie (or Julie solo), range from twangy details of love's reforming effects ("Wild Card"), to devastating, clinging memories of love lost ("I Can't Get Over You," featuring a duet vocal from Lee Ann Womack). "Midnight and Lonesome" distills the Millers' mountain influences, while the same fiddle-driven sound finds happier times on "Little Bitty Kiss." Fats Kaplin's accordion sparks the Cajun-style on "Oh Fait Pitie D'amour."

While the breadth of musical ground the Millers cover draws a map similar to their previous outings, the result retains the same high level of vitality and freshness. Their's is a rich strike, capped in this chapter by Julie Miller's of-the-moment ode to the rescued miners of "Quecreek." It's difficult to pick any one of the Millers' albums as "best," but this one is certainly representative of their unique artistry, and another fine chapter in their songbook.

4-1/2 stars, if allowed fractional ratings.

Thank you Bob Dylan for plugging in folk music. On Midnight and Lonesome, folkster Buddy Miller kicks off rocking with a cover of the Everly Brother's "Price of Love". He unabashedly goes right into the Hank Sr. style "Wild Card." What about talented wife Julie? Her presences is everywhere on this folk-rockin' variety show. Julie co-writes three songs and is the solo author of four, including the wonderful lovesick ballad "I Can't get Over You" featuring Lee Ann Womack. Buddy's voice is truely in its element on this song.The variety continues with the "Appliachian porch holler" of the title track and its imagine involking lrics.".... the moon's still alone and I wonder sonetimes if that's why the train has to cry..."; the cajun flavored "Oh Fait Pitie D'Amour"; Pery Mayfield's Bluesy "Please Send Me Someone to Love"; Buddy's bluesy pop "When It comes to You" co-written with Julie and Jim Lauderdale and my favorite, "Water When the Well is Dry" co-written with Bill Mallonee("She's So Liquid").

Again and Again....Buddy Miller!!!

Buddy writes some of the most haunting bittersweet songs ever recorded. I swear you can almost hear his heart break with every note.
People in Nashville REALLY need to take some lessons from his man!! He might just save country music!!

all buddy miller recordings are excellent, and if you listen to each of 'em (which you should) you will probably have a different favorite than mine. fine. but since i'm me, i get to choose my own favorite, and this is it. the outstanding, midnight and lonesome. here's what you get: track 1 - "the price of love," a rocker with a big hardy beat, sure to please springsteen fans. track 2 - "wild card," fine country tune with nice fiddle and a vocal with hank williams leanings. track 3 - "I can't get over you," pretty ballad with gorgeous harmonizing between buddy and wife julie. track 4 - "midnight and lonesome," opens with foreboding celtic-tinged fiddle, great vocal performance and powerful guitar riff. best song on the album. track 5 - "when it comes to you," is a fun pop rocker with an infectious beat and catchy melody. tasty guitar & steel pedal textures nice too. track 6 - "water when the well is dry," another excellent springsteenish roots rocker. track 7 - "a showman's life," pretty country ballad. track 8 - "little bitty kiss," rollicking rocker. great tune. nice fiddle & excellent guitar. track 9 - "please send me someone to love," great slow acoustic version of the 1950 percy mayfield classic (if you've never heard that great r & b singer, do so immediately. i highly recommend percy mayfield - poet of the blues). track 10 - "oh fait pitie d'amour," fingerpoppin' cajun music. and finally, track 11 - "quecreek," great slow-tempo folk song about a mining disaster. fine acoustic guitar melody & tasteful fiddle. more terrific harmony vocals from julie miller. that's it. don't miss out.

Buddy Miller keeps getting better and better. While this is written nearly four years following the release of "Midnight and Lonesome," it is one of those CDs that fits like an old shoe, regardless of when it is discovered. Miller's understated but nonetheless powerful cover of Jesse Winchester's "A Showman's Life" is all you need to hear to know this is a gem.

Buddy displays the depth and breadth of his musical talent from songwriting to his musicianship on ballads, rock `n roll, and pure country. While there's not a single bad song on this one, my personal favorite is the Bill Mallonee co-penned "Water When the Well is Dry". Something magical happens when Bill Mallonee collaborates with Buddy and/or Julie Miller. This song is no exception. This CD is Buddy's best effort yet. Buy it!

This was my first Buddy CD based on a recommendation from someone I admire (introduced me to Whiskeytown, Ryan Adams, Drive By Truckers, Lucinda Williams among others). There is nothing I would change about this CD. The originals are great and the covers are astonishing.