JOHN MILLER - Still Carrying A Flame

JOHN MILLER has one of Scotland’s purest traditional Country voices, and has just released his third solo album ,”Still Carrying A Flame (Folk & Western label).
As with his previous offerings, John has written all the songs, and offers a good variety of tempos and styles.
From the catchy opening track, “Take It From Somebody Who Knows” to the softer “My Dreaming Party”, and the western swing styling of “My Baby Ain’t My Baby Any More” and the rockabilly flavoured “Mama Says No”, John is in fine voice/
There’s some nice harmony from Seonaid Aitkin on “Heavy Hangs The Head”.
One track which pleasantly surprised me was “Tiny Sweetheart Roses” which has a very sentimental, almost Irish Country, feel to it. I’m sure there’ll be a lot of interest in this one.
“Feeling Sorry For Ourselves” has a great Asleep At The Wheel swing feel to it, complete with an 86 second instrumental intro. He even tops off the album with “Trucking On Back To You”, a pedal pumping big trucking number.
One song I recognised was “Take Me Back To San Francisco”, which was previously recorded by John on The Radio Sweethearts’ “Lonesome Blue” album. I liked the dobro and organ, giving it quite a different arrangement ten years on.
I particularly enjoyed “I Just Cant Live Without You”, with it’s superb steel intro and superb delivery.
Whatever track you listen to, it’s pure Country music.
He has a good line up of players on the album, including BJ Cole, Francis MacDonald, Andy McDowell, Martin Barrett and David McClean, The whole thing (except BJ’s steel licks) was recorded in Busby.
www.johnmillermusic.com