The Legendary Fred Miller - There's Nothing New Under The Sun

Hear The Track Here

So here I am, full of good tidings, even better imbibage and christmas pudding kicking back with The Legendary Fred Miller, a Soundclick artist I have come across a couple of times in the past. My first impression was that TLFM wasn't much more than a fairly standard folk musician, engendered by a track called A Light On The Darkness (September 2007). This skewed impression was rectified by the first collaborative effort with his son Timothy on keyboards and drums. The Corporate World was exactly what is needed, especially when Fred has a voice that is going to be an acquired taste, and don't take that the wrong way.

As you do.

There's Nothing New Under The Sun again features Timothy, this time on bongos and synth and they are joined by bassist Roger Alexander. There are many of the usual home musician sound problems, and some obvious fumbles vocally and instrumentally but anyone who has given Fred Miller's idiosyncratic bluesy folk rock a listen will recognise where this track is coming from. His blend of country and folk informs this track, much as it has done for previous work, and that just about saves the track.

While there is undoubtedly an audience for this kind of material, I fear it would be small but I know that Fred Miller just wants to tread his own path and there's nothing wrong with that at all. I personally like his style, even if I can't always get close to what he's doing musically, and even this track I found very lightweight for my tastes. Certainly if the roughness of sound and performance on this track could be corrected it might make it zing better. Sure, but then it wouldn't be a Fred Miller track, and that says something too. Not for everyone then, but there is a kind of homespun charm that Fred Miller captures which keeps me listening.

Charming Doors influenced rock track.