Lone Star Music Magazine   – Jan/Feb Issue

 

Lone Star Music: R. Simeon Franks…Sometimes bands fly under my personal radar like a treetop-clipping smugglers plane flying stealthily through the fog. I wish I had discovered them sooner, but better a little late than never. “Way Too Fast” is tightly arranged and insightfully delivered with a smile of self-assurance that you are on the right dirt road and headed toward a good time. It’s a solid piece of work from the very first notes of the opening title song to the last refrain of the sad closer “17 Wheels.” What’s more, the four talented musicians in the band just happen to be the genuinely nice guys you can’t help but want to pull for. They deserve to be heard and they deserve an honest shot at a long, successful career on the Texas scene and beyond. Do yourself a favor, like I finally did, and catch up to The Jeremy Miller Band and Way Too Fast. You’ll be glad you did.

  RED DIRT REPORT – CD REVIEW: The Jeremy Miller Band – Way Too Fast (independent release) 2009

The beautiful acoustic guitar chords being played at the beginning of the song “Lil Bit,” by The Jeremy Miller Band, are a good sign that we are about to hear a great song, although I would say it ends a lil’ too soon. That said, the Austin, Texas-based quartet delivers the goods.

Miller, singing lead, with the help of background vocalist Beverly Hensley, offers a convincing vocal performance against the rootsy, jangly backdrop. That’s Sonny Bihl on the guitar and he is one of the best ax-men I’ve heard come out of the Texas/Red Dirt scene.

But that’s only one of the 10 tracks on the JMB’s album Way Too Fast, produced by Keith Davis, an extremely talented guy who also plays guitar for the Scott Wiggins Band and has an ear for a good melody and tip-top songwriting.

The Jeremy Miller Band includes Miller singing and playing guitar, Bihl on lead guitar, Seth Tobin on bass and drums by Miles Stone. While they do perform primarily in Texas, they do make it north of the Red River from time-to-time.

The title track, which has a bit of a melancholy country-rock vibe that brings to mind some of the work done by the aforementioned Scott Wiggins Band and Amarillo’s Tommy Gallagher Band, has a almost 80’s-era Heartland rock sound. Again, Bihl’s guitar work is brilliant here as it is on most of these songs.

“Take A Look,” with it’s country-fied guitars and confidence, showcases a group that is willing to step out a little, particularly with that Hammond B-3 performance by guest musician Thumper Childers.

Embracing a more straightforward rock song format on “Life I Lead,” Miller takes us on a journey to the seedier side of life as the guy in his song struggles with drugs and more.

The emotions are really exposed on the downbeat “Cry” which is a song that folks who are fans of Cory Morrow, the Cody Gill Band and similar Texas/Red Dirt bands and singers.

The JMB really loves a good barn-burnin’ rocker as evidenced on “No More.” This one, with Bihl’s smokin’ guitar solo, is probably better suited in a live dancehall/club environment. But it still works well on disc.

As you work towards the latter half of the album, the songs even get more interesting. “Reckless” is an example. With it’s appealing Hammond organ bed, rootsy acoustic/electric guitars and plaintive vocals, Miller and the band really grab your attention.

More of that sound is represented on “Getting Away.”

Wrapping up Way Too Fast is “17 Wheels.” This is a sober country-rocker with a sad story to share. Very much in that Drive-By Truckers vein, with some pretty piano chords inserted by guest pianist Childers.

The Jeremy Miller Band has proven, on Way Too Fast, that they have earned the right to be heard on Texas/Red Dirt radio and beyond.

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    Insite Magazine – The Jeremy Miller Band – Way Too Fast

Cut from the same cloth as Red Dirt rockers like Reckless Kelley and Cory Morrow, The Jeremy Miller Band comes out of the gate like seasoned veterans with Way Too Fast. It really is amazing to know this is their self-released freshman effort.

The tunes kick off with the driving title track. It’s a half-ballad, half-rocker that sets the pace and the there. These songs are about losing, loving and leaving. Typical country fodder, but these guys have a little different twist. Lyrically and musically this album is on par with the guys in the big leagues.

“Sorry” is a powerful ballad about the end of a relationship. The unapologetic “Life I Lead” is a snapshot into Miller’s world. “Lil Bit” is a beautiful duet with Beverly Hensley.

The Chuck Berry infused rocker “No More” is a funny little ditty about being on the deserving end of the cold shoulder. With lyrics like “I probably never meant it when I said, your best girlfriend was better in bed. Baby don’t you love me no more?”

But to me the standout track on this album is the final one. “17 Wheels” is the story of a trucker who was part of a horrific accident caused by a flat tire. “You can’t stop 17 Wheels from rolling, when the 18^th is on the ground”

I really dug this CD. There isn’t a song I don’t like between the 10 tracks. They’ve got that Red Dirt sound down well, Miller’s voice is just the right tinge of whiskey stained and he lyrics are framed within the country/rock/jam music played by guitarist Sonny Bihl and bassist Seth Tobin.

Take a listen to it yourself at www.thejeremymillerband.com. You can also see where to catch them live from there as well.

-Sean Claes, Insite Magazine

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CountryChart.com

Review: The Jeremy Miller Band “Way Too Fast”

The talented Austin, Texas musicians who make up The Jeremy Miller Band chose the perfect title for their new album “Way Too Fast.” That’s because the album’s ten songs prove these country boys are going places – fast.

The album begins with the title track “Way Too Fast,” a rockin’ Red Dirt anthem with major country radio chart potential. The song, which is reminiscent of the best tracks of Cross Canadian Ragweed and Reckless Kelly, sets a positive tone for the album, and it’s followed by the even better “Take A Look.” This breezy, reflective song offers great lyrics, a memorable melody and a positive life lesson. The next cut “Sorry” also strikes the right balance of emotion and passionate intensity to make it a winner.

The Jeremy Miller Band have covered all its bases on “Way Too Fast.” There’s something for everyone. For instance, “17 Wheels” is a heartfelt cut that has a Randy Rogers vibe. “Reckless” is a powerful, feel-good gem that deserves to be a Texas Country chart topper. The production and instrumentation on “Reckless” is also flawless, and it’s the best track on the album.

The lyrics of every Jeremy Miller Band song tell a story. “Life I Lead” chronicles the problems that come with drugs and alcohol while “Lil Bit” provides classic country vocal harmonies in the form of compelling story in song. The exceptional “Cry” is a truly beautiful love letter to the woman he loves. The cut builds to a rousing crescendo with a superb guitar solo. Indeed, guitarist Sonny Bihl and bass player Seth Tobin deserve special kudos for outstanding musicianship throughout the entire album.

Let’s face it, the members of the Jeremy Miller Band probably only reluctantly let us see the more intimate side of their personalities on tracks like “Cry.” What they really want to do is rock a concert hall, and it shows with “No More.” This hard-pumping track can’t help but bring smiles and infectious toe-tapping to any audience lucky enough to hear it live.

The upbeat, Wade Bowen-style “Getting Away” does a good job of combining all the elements that make The Jeremy Miller Band a successful musical group. The tune is upbeat, the lyrics address a love-hate relationship, the melody is memorable and the vocals are impeccable. “Getting Away” should be more popular with Texas radio than Miller Lite at a Dallas Cowboys game.

The Jeremy Miller Band have crafted a deeply personal, rockin’ Texas country album that should be on the shelf of any person who calls himself a Red Dirt fan. “Way Too Fast” is way too good to be overlooked. CountryChart.com