Customer Reviews

Night in a Strange Town

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've had this album for awhile now, and it just keeps getting better. Every time I listen, I have a new favorite song. Lynn Miles has a wonderful gift for emotive lyricism, running the gamut from lovestruck to melancholy to bitter, and always cuts straight to the soul. "Rust", in particular, may be the most beautiful and brazenly honest love song ever written. The instrumentation is rich and varied without burying her vocals. Thae fact that this album has not received more of an audience is a shame; anyone who is a fan of modern folk/americana would do well to add this to their collection

I loved "Slightly Haunted," a wonderful album that got lost in a great year for female singer/songwriters. I wouldn't characterize it as a better album than "A Few Small Repairs," "This Fire," or "Living with Ghosts," but I have probably listened to it more. I love her voice -- warm, plangent, and somewhat edgy in a very human way, and she has a gift for catchy, memorable melodies. Miles is a performer whose weaknesses -- occasional rough bendings of her voice over the melodic turns and an apparent inability to distinguish grimace-producing cliches from real lyrical insights -- are almost as endearing as her gifts. That said, this album is less satisfying than "Slightly Haunted." Larry Klein's glitzy, high-powered production tends to call attention to Miles's missteps rather than glossing them over, and her songwriting this time out doesn't quite measure up to the quality of "SH." "This is a song about the way life is" may be the worst opening line of any song I've heard this year. But the lovely voice and melodic gift are still there. And Miles saves the best for last: "Rust," with just that voice, her simple piano, and her deeply felt, exquisitely chosen words, is damn near perfect. Lynn, sometimes less is more.

I saw Lynn open for I think Luka Bloom earlier this year at The Barns at Wolf Trap. She is great live so go see her. I originally bought the CD (at the show) to share with my brother who so often turns me on to new singer/songwriters he's discovered. But it's so great I can't part with it, so am buying one for him plus several more as other gifts. Actually, I can't stop listening to it! I wholehearterdly agree with comments of all the other reviews posted so far. A must have for anyone who's into Lucy K., John Gorka, Richard Shindell, Kim Richey, etc etc.!

Bought this CD on a whim and was not disappointed! Every song is amazing. Usually I'm critical of singer/songwriters, but I can find nothing negative here. Excellent music, voice, lyrics, etc. Her voice is reminiscent of Jann Arden. Everyone who hears it loves it as well! A must have!

I stumbled into Lynn Miles by accident. My kids were driving me nuts so I took a "time out" and went to a local coffee house for a break from family life. Lynn was the musician on stage and her vocals and guitar playing blew me away. I'd never heard of her but have now purchased all three of her more recent albums. "Night" is supposed to be the weakest of the three. Frankly, I couldn't tell and the stuff on the disk is so much better than most of the [stuff] on the radio, it really doesn't matter how it stacks up against her other work. But, even upon comparison, it's a great record.

Unlike Miles' extraordinary "Slightly Haunted" that immediately grabs your attention and heart, "Night In A Strange Town" works its hypnotic magic more slowly and deliberately. Its effect on the listener is more profound, more powerful than her previous outing, but the songs require many listenings to truly grasp their ultimate rewards.

The music is deceptively mellow and belie the pain, yearning and irony of the lyrics. Miles yearns for perfection but is resigned to the imperfection of life and love. "I've been hurting so long for the perfect romance but I could not taste the honey for the bees...sometimes it's ok to be brought to your knees," she movingly emotes in "Perfect Romance" The bitter irony in her songs is perfectly represented in the song "Wrong": "Love is not bitter, love is not cold, love is not a weapon." but "love gave you sad answers and a hurt that won't heal..."

Miles has fashioned a moving, perceptive triumph- a collection of songs that slowly creeps up on you and never lets you go. It is, unquestionably, a singer/songwriter tour de force.

I read some less than enthusiastic reviews of this recording before I bought it, mostly based on Larry Klein's production being "too slick" or percussion heavy. I completely disagree with those reviews. I think the production on this CD is complex and interesting, and definitely gives Lynn her own distinctive sound. Especially following "Slightly Haunted", which is much more folky and sounds a lot like early Joni Mitchell in places, this cd has a clear, contemporary, but not slick sound. Lynn's songwriting is spectacular, and her voice is unique, beautiful and a little quirky. This has become one of my favorites.

I first heard Lynn as an opening act on New Year's Eve. I was impressed by her vocal range, energy musicianship & poetry of her songs.

I've listened to this CD constantly for the past month. Every song is a keeper. Ballads like "Wrong" & "Rust" are worth the price alone.

I bet all of you share this experience with me - there are some CD's you bought where you end up only liking one maybe two songs on it and there are others that turn out to be full of good songs. It all gets down to the songs themselves and the songwriting. You can have a crappy song and no matter how good the singing, musicianship and recording is it's still a crappy song. Well this CD has great songs from a great songwriter and they're performed beautifully. I actually like some of the production better on "Slightly Haunted" but it doesn't have the great songs this one does.

This ones a keeper.

I am amazed at the reviews I have seen here. I really do not understand. Lynn's first CD was a masterpiece, one of the greatest CD's by a female artist I have ever heard and probably the only one I listen to on a regular basis these many years later...Night in a strange town, however, was an enormous letdown. I bought it as soon as I saw it, just assuming it must be great. Wow was I disappointed. I thought, well, maybe it will grow on me. I listened to it about 20 times, it [didn't], and I sold it to a used CD store for 3 bucks. I was sad.