Family Average: 4/7

Everybody is getting Dizzy For Izzy! That is how I would announce the arrival of his track if I were a radio DJ. Alas I am not. Instead I will do my best to introduce you to him before we go on to the review. Izzy Miller is a country/folky singer songwriter from Huntsville, Alabama. It is here where he has been making tons and tons of music. I am talking lots like more than five albums. This guys life is all about the music! That kind of thing is nice to see. What does the family think about it?

Listen along on Soundcloud and read on to find out:

Some tastefully done country/folk guitar is always well appreciated, and with this composition, Izzy certainly delivers. I must admit I have a soft spot in my heart for pedal steel guitar, so i was a fan early on. The opening track, “‘Burnin’ Bright”  is strong and has commercial appeal, with a catchy guitar riff running throughout. At my age I like a predictable formula for songs, these track have a very familiar sound to them the verse, then the guitar solo, then more verse, however some people may say this approach is too predictable and a bit over done. For those music critics we have track three, “The Cure”  which is reminiscent of the Rolling Stones version of country which has a englishman’s blues quality to it and this track is anything but predictable. In my humble opinion “The Cure” is a stand out, beautifully done work of art.

Strong 6/7

It is clear this guy does his homework. Almost all the sounds put down on this EP are staples of this country singer songwriter niche. From the raspy quiet shouting of lyrics. To the leads plucked by the electric guitar. It all just feels like it exists in this album because it has to. I guess that is my main gripe with the EP. The whole thing seems to be created out of obligation, rather than personal expression. Nothing is done poorly, but still I have a hard time getting excited when I hear something that has been done so many times before. 

I just left it with a real hollow feeling. I left feeling like I never got to know the artist. I know that he is a technically talented musician, and I know that he enjoys the sound of classic rock songs. Other than that I got nothing.

 2/7

These are noises I've heard before.

Pleasing warm guitar, but that voice isn’t saying anything that’s moving me. As the album goes on the voice just sounds like it’s trying very hard to put out that country southern rugged sound. I do like the guitar though especially when the electric guitar comes in.

I would listen to an instrumental album by this man and be content and warm. I could do without the vocals though.

4/7

This struck me as “Country Rock/ Pop” music. Listen, I’m not a big fan of that genre I do always appreciate musical talent. He is definitely an accomplished guitar player, singer, songwriter. He has a very relaxed way about him that made it easy to listen too.  I can see hearing him at the Four Winds on a Saturday night. As I said, I am not a huge fan of country and I just don’t feel there is enough of anything original here to get me to seek this music out. If I had to pick a favorite track it would be “The Cure” as it had a bit of a Rolling Stones feel to it.

3/7

Izzy Miller has really got that achey, country twang and heartbroken cowboy persona down. The album could have been entitled “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry,” but we all know that was spoken for. And while I struggle to buy into the accompanying character, it’s evident these emotions are genuine. Grappling with themes of love lost, he’s definitely striving to capture the same sentiment and poignancy of the late and greats -- Cash, Parsons, Williams -- but mucks it up with more Americana skewed rock. The guitar work is really nice, and I do love a good steel pedal. Lyrically, it’s naturally depressing, and while that can become tiresome, it feels like a sincere attempt to distill and understand one’s own emotions. It’s not perfectly polished, but it’s evidently a genuine expression of his heart and will undoubtedly strike a chord with anyone who has struggled with such heartbreak.

4/7