| |
Buddy Miller
Universal United House of Prayer
New West Records NW 6063
by Bonny Holder
 Buddy Miller is the
Man for our times. Hallelujah. Who but Buddy, looking eerily
like a grizzled, wary Kurt Cobain on the inside cover of the
CD jacket? In this time of political turmoil, seasonal transition,
the days dwindling down to a precious few...September...No-vem-brrrrr...
You can trust Buddy Miller. There are very few screens of
self-protection between Buddy and you. He is a modest-appearing
man who apparently digs backing stellar womensingers like EmmyLou
(he's been her guitarist for eons) and his amazing radiant wife,
Julie Miller (singing harmony here, and playing guitar, but not
enough.) Buddy Miller is the soul of Americana music.
This is a very gospel-influenced record, but don't be put off
if a little goes a long way for you. Miller's a Christian all
right, but even in his most devotional, (the Louvin Brothers'
"There's A Higher Power"), he manages to include a
world-view spirituality that, I think, most people can feel comfortable
with.
Buddy is a powerful singer as well as a guitar god. He has
a way of channeling musicality through himself, rather than from
himself. The lyrics on this CD deal with war, with redemption,
with the possibility that karma is turning on his, my, "our,"
country.
Including Bob Dylan's "God On Our Side" as track
4 is brilliant. Buddy just belts it out, all 9:14 minutes of
it. Brady Blade's drums drive the folk melody along with Byron
House's bass, and the Jim Lauderdale harmony bring forth the
timely lyrics until hit with that doozy of a last verse:
So now as I'm leaving, I'm weary as hell
The confusion I'm feelin', no tongue can tell.
The words fill my head, and they fall to the floor.
If God's on our side, he will stop the next war.
This was, of course, written before the current wars in Afghanistan
and Iraq. Think about it, gentle readers.
My favorite cut is "Wide River To Cross," co-written
with Julie Miller, published on their "Julie's Freakin'
Out Music" company. As is true with many of the Millers'
songs, life is a journey from well, from there to here
to there. There are rivers to cross and ladders to climb. A man
(as he often refers to himself) can walk, and stops to help along
the way. If you're not already into Buddy and Julie, this may
sound vast. But the characters that people their songs
are always hopeful in their sorrow, stoic in their faith, tested
again and again, and regenerated by pain and reconciliation.
I don't know any other way to explain it.
And at the same time, they kick ass. "Soul" is a
word way overused, but the Millers and their cohabitants in song
have a sort of tent-show roadhouse attitude. Regina and Ann McCrary
sing southern churchy harmonies on most songs. I love these
people. I love this record. In a time when peace and love
are bubbling on the back burner of modern society, Buddy Miller
and his "universal united house of prayers" lifts you
right up. "I'm prayin' for strength to get one last try,
to get mercy's cup to drink, before it's time to die," Buddy
howls. In "This Old World," written with Victoria Williams,
the band sounds like a garage jug-band. "Time to love every
man, woman and child," Miller almost coos, as a cowbell
clanks and Tammy Roger's fiddle playing teases the edges of the
song.
In the very next track, Buddy's guitar gets all swampy in
the call-and-responsey "Is That You?" And Julie plays
dark electric guitar on "Fall on the Rock (or the Rock's
Gonna Fall On You)".
Do you need a little depth, a little soul, a big dose of spirit
in your life right now? Buddy Miller's Universal United House
of Prayer might fill that need for you. It sure has for me.
Two PS's:
1) I read that the CD is dedicated to Julie's brother, Jeff
Griffin. Jeff had been involved in a life-changing accident and
recently, years later, was struck by lightning and killed at
the very same site.
2) From the CD cover: Buddy Miller is committed to supporting
the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation (VVAF), a non-profit
that works in post-conflict countries rehabilitating landmine
survivors and other war wounded. For more info, please visit
www.vvaf.org
www.buddyandjulie.com
You can contact Bonny Holder at bonny-at-rockzilla.net
|
|
