Wednesday, April 16, 2008

The Legendary Fred Miller - Sleep Depravation

Hear The Track Here

Hey whadda ya know, it's Miller Time. Make mine a double. I have a sneaking liking for what The Legendary Fred Miller does while sittin' on his porch. He has a distinctive take on what he does, and he is not afraid to stretch himself when necessary. That doesn't always work, of course, and definitely doesn't out there in the harsher musical world but sites like Soundclick will always give musicians like Fred Miller sufficient shelter from the storm. Like a great many of us, Fred has made music all his life and isn't likely to stop soon but - I've got to say this - you really have to acquire a taste for his style of music.

Personally, I like his rocky side and there is enough of that in Sleep Deprivation* to do it for me. Moreover on this track Fred has captured the look and feel of a track that rightly belongs back in the original Summer Of Love. Given that he cites Grateful Dead, Moby Grape and Spirit as influences that shouldn't be so remarkable, and he has done an extremely good Doors style track in the past. Despite its rough hewn sound, you are either going to like this track or not and a quick play will confirm what it will be.

I think its the very homespun feel Fred Miller brings to his tracks that make me personally like them so much, even if I can't always find the impetus to foist them on to a wider audience. The fact is, musicians like Fred Miller will always occupy a tiny niche, and that's the way it should be. He is a very individualistic, idiosyncratic musician who does what he feels and the rest of us can go to a hot place if we don't like it. I like this track, and I haven't been able to say that about all TLFM tracks and I think it's partly that late 1960's feel and partly the way Fred's unusual vocal style interprets the lyrics.

Excellent folk rock. Recommended for feel.

*That's the correct spelling btw... :D

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