Rick Miller – “Old Souls”

Have you been missing Pink Floyd, mixed well with the heavy influence of Alan Parsons’? Wait no longer. Rick Miller’s Old Souls, released on January 7^th of this year, will fill that void you have been feeling. This is rock the way I remember it from the 1970s.

Slow winding electric guitar blended well with drifting synths and keyboards. You can never get enough of this, for sure.

Rick Miller voice sounds similar to Alan Parsons. He is joined by the artists on this album including: Sarah Young, on flute; Jaye Marsh, on flute; Mateusz Swoboda, on cello; Barry Haggarty, on guitar; Kane Miller, on guitar and violin; Will, on drums and percussion.

The opener, “Time’s Way”, sounds like it was a Pink Floyd/Alan Parsons collaboration. So many memories flood back when you listen to this one.

“Guinevere” is not a cover of the famous CSN song, but this one is just as good. Soft and warm, and the perfect soundscape.

The long flowing electric guitar on “Haunt Me’ will stay with you long after the song has passed.

“Virgin Rebirth”, is full of deep cello and wonderful keys. The soaring electric guitar is awesome in its intensity. The dreamy keyboards throughout this instrumental will make you want to play it often. The ocean-like keyboard waves at the end flow right into:

“The Red Sky”. It is a wonderful transition. Then comes the deep cello, followed closely by flute and piano. Riveting, indeed. This is one of, if not the best song on the album. The haunting sounds of choir-like vocals and violin set the perfect mood. Simply amazing. Another instrumental stunner, until Miller begins to sing. He describes his surroundings and you wish you could visit. But he takes you there in spirit. “A forest where dreams go to die. To breathe in the darkness and hear the angels cry. The sky is painted red”. Haunting and  beautiful, dreamy female choir-like vocals take you off to ‘dreamland’.

“Ixtlan Awaits”, is all about dreams of Mexico. Miller tells a story of a wonderful place to live or stay. The lead electric guitar is soothing. Very early Alan Parsons – like.

The haunting flute work and guitar, mixed well with percussion on “A Stitch in Time” is perfect. The Middle Eastern sounds only make this one rise higher. Another of the best tracks on this greatest hits level album. The female choir/angel-like voices are a perfect addition.

“Lost Karma”, is another wonderful instrumental piece, full of dreamy engaging sounds.

Ah, “Don Quixote”! The closer. A dynamic, over 12-minute epic full of wonderful percussion, drums, and some of the best Floyd-like guitar you have heard since Gilmour played. Great for chasing or admiring windmills or whatever you do when you dream. Miller asks, “Where have all the heroes gone? Of nightly deeds and battles won. The world has lost its need for men, of chivalry and moral sense”. The flamenco guitar work and drums around 5 minutes are worth the price of the album lone.

This is my new favorite progressive album of the year. Every track is worth hearing about 50 more times. The kind of album that never gets old. The songs are full of layers of wealth of chords not heard in years. The kind of music many people my age have not heard since our favorite bands played this well. Simply amazing. If you were alive in the 1960s and 70s, you will remember this sound and rejoice that someone was able to catch the feeling, without repeating what you already know. Like hearing that era of music for the first time again.

Track List

1. Time’s Way – 8:37
2. Guinevere – 3:07
3. Haunt Me – 4:42
4. Virgin Rebirth – 3:51
5. The Red Sky – 4:30
6. Ixtlan Awaits – 5:57
7. A Stitch in Time – 4:01
8. Lost Karma – 2:53
9. Don Quixote – 12:22
10. Time’s Way Reprise – 2:06

www.facebook.com/pages/Rick-Miller/243367182533?ref=ts

https://rickmiller.bandcamp.com/
www.haggartysoundstudio.com
kanemillermusic.com