Something gentle this way comes in the form of Mirah and her third full-length album, Cmon Miracle. Many of her friends lend a helping hand, strumming the autoharp and bowing stringed instruments, accompanying the lilting, soaring voice that can not be mistaken: its Mirah! Shes come up with a whole new batch of songs, which though short on fanfare they are long on solidity, pianos, drummers and the importance of standing up against oppression. If her first album, You Think Its Like This but Really Its Like This (KLP112) snuck up and surprised you, then her second album Advisory Committee (KLP135) stunned you with cannon fire, then sit back and relax as Cmon Miracle washes over you, its subtle ways etching its self into your psyche. Its not big, its impressive. Mirah recorded most of Cmon Miracle at Dub Narcotic studio with Phil Elverum, Emily Kingan, Calvin Johnson, Susan Ploetz, Aaron Hartman, Ramona Tougas and plenty more players and helpmates who knew how to make it hot, coolly. Two of the songs here were recorded in Argentina with Bryce Panic (former drummer with Old Time Relijun) making controlled patterns of delight. The combination is always special-feeling, while never veering from the realm of Mirah sounds. Theyre the best type! And heres a whole album filled, so Cmon Miracle and get into it. Operatic in scope, Advisory Committees standout tracks are based around Mirahs nimble and folky acoustic guitar, but soon sprawl outward with strings, fuzz and crashing drums that give Mirahs deceptively soft voice ample room to display a Bjork-ian range. More sprawling and sensual, but just as intimate as Mirahs debut charmer from 2000, You Think Its Like This but Really Its Like This, a minimally arranged in-the-bedroom-with-a-guitar-drum-machine-and-four-track affair, Advisory Committee takes lo-fi indie-pop to a place where heartaches and exhilaration are never far apart, and where even the slightest changes in temperature are astonishing. Dan Dineen, CMJ Track Listing: Nobody Has to Stay · Jerusalem · The Light · Dont Die in Me · Look Up! · Were Both so Sorry · The Dogs of B.A. · The Struggle · Youve Gone Away Enough · Promise to Me · Exactly Where Were From
Also available on LP
Or as individual track downloads:
1. Nobody Has To Stay 2. Jerusalem 3. The Light 4. Don't Die On Me 5. Look Up! 6. We're Both So Sorry 7. The Dogs of B.A. 8. The Struggle 9. You've Gone Away Enough 10. Promise To Me 11. Exactly Where We're From
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