Sheri Miller – Mantra
2008 Miller Genuine Final Draft Music
Confessional songwriting works when it is emotionally honest. It helps if you are a top-notch musician/vocalist that conveys a kind of tough vulnerability and a sultry, silky-soul voice. Sheri Miller displays all of these on her debut EP, Mantra.
Musically, Sheri Miller takes chances. Her songs are not constructed in cookie-cutter fashion like much of today’s pop music. To judge by the songs on Mantra, she doesn’t take the easy way out to get the sound she wants. This makes the songs more of a challenge and fun to listen to. At the same time, you may become entranced with the voice and miss a lot of the nuance.
I had a really hard time picking a favorite from the six songs offered up here, but The Blade is probably my favorite as I write this. (Like any great album, this will probably change over time). Mantra (I’m In Love) is a beautiful ballad that will remind you vaguely of Fiona Apple. Devil In White is a bluesy rocker that will have your feet tapping. If you’re not careful you might just get up and dance. All He Has To Do is a soft ballad with a surprisingly beautiful melody. It will lull you with its vaguely lullaby-like quality. Right Here Right Now is a ballad that could cross over to any style of music from pop to country to folk. This might be the biggest potential hit here and could make Sheri Miller a star in the right circumstances. The opening track, Waste My Breath is probably the most purely radio-oriented song. It’s a good song, but probably my least favorite on the disc, if only because it is the most conventional sounding song here.
Sheri Miller is a talent. It appears she is working hard to make things happen for herself, and after hearing Mantra is it hard to imagine her not making the big time. This is a very talented, emotional and honest debut. Expect great things from Sheri Miller in the future. For now, Mantra is a top-notch appetizer.
Rating: 4 1/2 Stars (Out of 5)
You can learn more about Sheri Miller at www.sherimiller.com. You can purchase a copy of Mantra at www.cdbaby.com/sherimiller.
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