New Music From Bosque Brown
All music sounds bigger in Texas.
You have to admire the pride that Texas natives have for their state. Anything that comes out of Texas proves to be bigger and better than the rest - from the large portions of food to the music. The Texas band Bosque Brown, named after a river in Texas, originally started with lead singer Mara Miller and her husband Ryan Miller. After the label Burnt Toast Vinyl discovered Mara through Seattle folk singer Damien Jurado, she and her husband recorded their first album Playing Mara Lee Miller in 2005. The duo added members to create a live band and started touring, most notably with acts like John Vanderslice, the National and the Baptist Generals. Bosque Brown’s follow-up EP Cerro Verde described Miller’s experience during hurricane Katrina and the single “Fire Fight” was featured in the indie film Jumping Off Bridges.
The band then spent fifteen months in the quiet Texas town of Denton recording their sophomore album Baby, due out in March. Recording next to their hometown proved to be a benefit and Baby. The album as a whole grew out of home-recorded demos and contributions from other members fleshed out the tracks to create an emotional reflection of living in and loving their Texas roots. What makes Bosque Brown such a treat is lead singer Miller’s fantastic vocal work. Her lyrics on Baby are stories about growing up in Texas and coping with moving away from its rich heritage. Sometimes coupled with her sister Gina Milligan’s backing vocals, Miller’s voice is full of vibrancy and femininity. Something about her voice just captivates listeners into really listening to Miller’s lyrics.
Bosque Brown’s single “Went Walking” parallels the style of their previous albums, featuring Miller’s voice over a simple guitar and simple lyrics. But “Went Walking” is anything but simple. Between the rolling drums and distant piano, the single lulls listeners into some type of trance. When Miller starts singing “I’m coming home,” chills are guaranteed to capture you.
Posted by Amy Dittmeier on Dec 30, 2008 @ 12:00 am