When "The Other Side" was released back in 2002, it received good reviews on both sides of the pond, and marked out Scott Miller and his band as an act worth keeping an eye out for. Eighteen months or so down the line the new album, "Days Of Reckoning," picks up right where "The Other Side" left off.
The album opens in a fairly rocky mood with "Bad Memory." Miller's vocals here have a slightly gravelly twang, which had me thinking of Chris Rea and even Paul Weller. A slightly unexpected opening then, followed by an even more unexpected twist on "Spanish Harlem Princess." As the name implies, there is a strong Latin jazz flavor to this one, with Miller's piano very much to the fore.
As if to prove that he has no intention of standing still, Miller then takes the band into the balladry of the title track. It is a real grower, and sounds like the sort of thing that Van Morrison probably wishes he had written. This leads into the excellent "Circle Of Fate," where Miller switches to mandolin, and the harmony vocals top things off nicely.
Fans of Miller's N'Awleans style pieces are treated to a trio of tracks in the middle of the album. Each of the tracks is original, regardless of the titles, although the first "40 Days and 40 Nights" is so good, it sounds like a classic. "Cry Me A River" gets a bit more funky, before Miller doffs his hat in the direction of Professor Longhair on the all too brief "P-Trap."
The only cover on the album is "Sugar Cane," a Sonny Landreth tune. Paul Mayasich does a great job on guitar on this one, whilst Miller plays mandolin once again. The band then slow the pace down on the ballad, "When I'm Gone." Another grower, this has shades of Dr John in one of his more reflective moments, and even the late great genius, Ray Charles.
The band get one last shot to get funky on "Knockin' On My Door" where Miller is once more in terrific voice. They are then dispatched to the side lines as Miller closes out with a cracking solo boogie woogie number, "You Rescued Me."
"Days of Reckoning" is a very worthy successor to "The Other Side." Miller demonstrates once more that he is a first rate musician, singer and songwriter, deserving of a much wider audience. The fact that all the songs were recorded live in the studio is testament to the quality of the rest of the band too. "Days of Reckoning" is a very fine album that will be appreciated by all blues aficionados, but particularly those who like blues (a) with piano, and (b) with roots in New Orleans.
www.scottiemiller.com
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