Scott Miller and the
Commonwealth- Upside/Downside
Must Hear Track: Track 11 “Red Ball Express”
Trashville Track: If I really had to pick one,
it’d be Track 8 “Angels Dwell” but I hesitate to say
because I love the song.
Caiti’s Pick: Track 1 “It didn’t take too long”
Dad’s pick: Track 7 “Amtrak Crescent”
I want to be Scott Miller. And to be honest, if he
wasn’t already married, he might have me to contend
with. Scott’s sophomore album has escaped the clutches
of the sophomore curse, and Scott has produced another
eye opening, slacker worthy album in
Upside/Downside.
After we scrounged for Thus Always to Tyrants on
Ebay, Upside/Downside was an easy request when
we went to Bill’s again. And on that particular trip,
we came home with nine records- and Scott’s was
definitely one of the stars of the lot. I had been
reading the lyrics for months on Scott’s homepage and
couldn’t wait to plug the album in.
And was I ever shocked with the hard, pulsing rhythm
that came out of our speakers. Upside/Downside opens
with a melody that is the epitome of slacker country,
and so very Scott Miller and the Commonwealth. “It
didn’t take too long” is a fun, fast paced, tale that
is reminiscent of Chuck Berry and would just downright
offend mainstream country fans, but we gladly welcome
it here at SlackerCountry.com. Track 2 “Raised by the
Graves” carries on the Upside theme of hard-rocking
Scott Miller. It’s notable for the amazing talent
Miller displays on the electric guitar, I don’t think a
lot of people realize how amazing the kid is at guitar.
The solos in Track 2 are absolutely incredible. Miller
slows down the album a bit in Track 3 “The Way”. The
only thing that keeps the track from being the downfall
of the entire album is the phenomenal background vocals
by Patty Griffin and Miller’s expertly placed
harmonica. Upside/Downside again kicks it up a
notch in Track 4 “Pull Your Load”. The rocking rant is
short, sweet, and to the point, it has no polish and is
all-genuine. If you’re looking for the reason we listen
to the music we do, listen to the first 15 seconds of
“Pull Your Load” and you should understand why
alt-country is an addiction and not just a preference.
Upside/Downside continues its magic and mystique
with Track 5 “Second Chance” which reminds me of its
brother track on Thus Always to Tyrants “Yes I
won’t”. “Second Chance” has witty lyrics, and rhythm
guitar that could make anyone tap their foot. Track 6
“Chill. Relax. Now.” Opens with a rhythm and live
studio feel that reminds me a lot of James McMurtry’s
“Talkin’ at the Texaco”. Track 6 serves as a perfect
epilogue to Scott’s hell-raising and a great transition
into the acoustic, Americana side that is the
“downside”. The “downside” opens with one of the best
written and performed tracks of the album, “Amtrak
Crescent”. Track 7 is amazing and continues Scott’s
trend of historically themed songs, only it surpasses
his past tunes like “Dear Sarah” and “Highland County
Boy”. The following song, Track 8, got my vote for
“most trashville” track, even though I adore the song.
The only reason I consider it to be the most Trashville
track is because of the polish the song has on it. But
it’s still a very note-worthy song that lets Scott
lapse for a moment in his manly cockiness. Miller again
borrows Patty Griffin to cover all his bases, and the
song turned out to be a very nice addition to the
“downside”. Track 9 “Ciderville Saturday Night” takes
Scott back to his roots, where he happens to do quite
well. Following that, “I’ve got a Plan” continues the
“downside” mood with a slow waning guitar and mushy
Nashville lyrics. But the record takes a dramatic turn
with the low, pessimistic Track 11 “Red Ball Express”.
It’s very Chris Knight-like and Scott does it very
well. The tribute to World War II showcases Scott’s
vocal range and his acoustic talent. It’s a perfect
contradiction to songs like “It Didn’t Take too long”,
just when you go thinking all the boy knows how to do
is rock out to simple (but loud) lyrics- Scott comes in
with a song like “Red Ball Express”. Upside/Downside
closes with the idealistic tune “For Jack Tymon”, it’s
a perfect end to the album with just Scott and his
guitar. The ways the songs are arranged take you
through a kaleidoscope of emotions, and by the end of
the record you’re feeling drained.
All the reviews have said that their only complaint is
that Upside/Downside is too much like Thus
Always To Tyrants. Granted, I concede to the fact
that an artist should always grow, but isn’t that why
you like Scott? Because he has a definite style that is
all his own? I mean, give the poor guy a break, he’s
only released two albums and you’re already trying to
pin artist immaturity on him. Personally, I would have
been appalled if Upside/Downside had come out
sounding like Tim McGraw. Scott’s style and his point
of view never get old, and if his junior album effort
is like Upside/Downside, we definitely won’t be
complaining.
Final Score: 8.2
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