Ed Miller is an artist from Richmond, VA, who we first heard from on his release Crayon Drawing. Miller is back with a new release entitled Love Songs For Mongoloids. The album contains seven songs and revolves around heartache and headaches, and love lost and love found according to his Bandcamp page.
The album opens with “Baby....I Love You” and revolves around clean and melodic guitar picking, a steady beat and a formidable bass line. I thought the vocals were delivered in an attractive way which felt loose and comfortable. The music sounded somewhere between Mac Demarco and a hint of ’50s pop. It’s raw and human sounding and also just a great opener. “Take It Slow” literally slows it down. This is more of a ballad in the spirit of a band like The Beatles. The vocals are emotionally resonant and are really well delivered. I loved how Miller goes into falsetto harmonies when he sings “is any of it real.” There’s also some well done guitar work. The song does change energy, mood and BPM. It took a second for my brain to adjust but it works well in the song. “How To Be” is a serene and tranquil song. The beat lays down the foundation for the guitar and bass work to freely explore. Miller’s vocal approach matches the aesthetic of the song is lush and kept at a comfortable vocal range. As the song progresses there are some wah wah effects on the guitar which do make it feel more dream-like and even sensual. “Dogs” is the arguable highlight. This song is a piano ballad and blends thoughtful nostalgia and reverence. I really loved the vocal approach. Miller goes all in with the emotion on the vocals and it pays dividends. The ’80s sounding ending with the synths was also a nice touch to the song. I also thought “Chayanne” was a highlight. This song is a fun time. There are well executed horns which sound great and a soulful ’50s and ’60s flavor. “Time” felt a little more ’70s inspired. This song has some great grooves and is very atmospheric and dreamy. Miller’s vocals blend with the synths and have a symbiotic relationship. The album ends with the most intimate sounding song entitled “Wasting My Life” which felt like a proper send-off. I thought this a really good album from beginning to end. Miller evokes a classic, timeless sort of style many people love and gives it his own unique spin. Take a listen.
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