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Volume
Issue
Year
Page 20
Review
Raven In The Snow:
By Bill Miller
Warner/Reprise, 1995
In combining electrically induced influences of Bob Dylan, Nine Inch Nails, Red Hot Chilli Peppers , blues and indigenous roots music, Bill Miller's second album, Raven In The Snow, has to be one of the slickest products so far this year. Although Miller uses a measure of commercialism, it is achieved without compromise or damage. References to indigenous struggles and culture, have been polished to the sharpness of an obsidian arrowhead.
The guitar work, vocals and arrangements ring with a familiarity of that of Chris Isaak on the album's opening track River of Time. As the title suggests, it's a song about life being a river and the accompanying lessons. It's this type of simplicity that Miller successfully uses to clearly translate ideas through sound. He plays along a fine line between cliche and mimicry to that of integrating cultural, musical and spiritual ingredients which invoke image and emotion.
Eagle Must Fly is a roots combination of Delta blues, country swing, a dab of electric folk and traditional Native music, while utilizing the close historical relationship shared among all of the style. The lyrics contain poetic devices that are injected with historical references to Crazy Horse and current struggles; it is also a song that interprets prophecy amid the guitar and harmonica playing that rejoices in the light of Willy Dixon.
In Every Corner of the Forest is three segues of atmosphere charge with electrified flute music and changing that borders on the experimental. These recurring parts surface throughout the album and tend to represent the circle-of-life philosophy.
The slow-moving Listen To Me deals with the personal and the larger Indigenous struggle within the aftermath of colonialism. The song contains many subtleties that allude to a much larger context.
Red Bird Yellow Sun is the result of applying the traditional flute to a modern melody and instrumentalization that suddenly turns into a gale called After the Storm.
The nearly ripened This Kind of Love defies all melodramatic devices that can send a love song over the top. A faint aroma of Procol Harum lingers in the electric organ that haunts the background of the piece.
The Final Word is a full frontal assault that recruits a repetitive trumpet loop, sassy guitar licks, bold percussion and bottom-heavy bass lines.
Most of the material was written in collaboration with other musicians on the album. Throughout the project, Miller expresses a deep honesty and passion for what his is singing about. The lyrics are anointed with the ink of the poet and placed in the cadence of a good songwriter. With all of this and more to offer, Raven In The Snow will have no trouble flying.
End notes:
Red Thunder's full-length album Makoce Wakan is now being distributed by Koch International based in Scarborough, Ontario. The 11 track album takes off where the preview released ended. The MTV PSA and the Aztec drumming tracks are the only omissions. A few more traditional and contemporary songs have been added to round out the tracking for a full-length album.
Although it may lean to the commercial, Anishnabe musician, Aaron Peters' self-released cassette project is noteworthy by virtue of his vocal talent and determination as an independent musician/producer. Unafraid is available from the artist at 234 Johnson Ave., Winnipeg, MB. R2L 0H8.
Finally, a double CD collection representing five historic albums of guitar menance, Link Wray has just been released on the Polydor-Chronicals label. Guitar Preacher: The Polydor Years contains some remarkable blues and rock'n roll tracks by the leather-clad daddy of the guitar rumble: Link Wray, 1971; Be What You Want To, 1973; The Link Wray Rumble, 1974; Beans and Fat Back, and Mordecai Jones.
Please send submissions or inquiries to:
Brian Wright-McLead c/o "Heart of the Earth", CKLN 88.1 FM, 380 Victoria St., Toronto, Ontario M5B 1W7 (416)55-1477.
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