Rhett Miller, The Believer

Tracks & Durations

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Review

With a title track inspired by the death of friend Elliot Smith, The Believer finds singer/songwriter Rhett Miller striking a balance between regret and optimism (he became a first-time father since the last album). On his third solo effort, after 1989's hard-to-find Mythologies and 2002's nifty power-pop nugget The Instigator, Miller changed labels and joined forces with rock producer George Drakoulias (Tom Petty, the Black Crowes). Consequently, there are a few rave-ups here, like the not-so-delicate "Delicate" and the T-Rex-inspired "Ain't That Strange," but for the most part, The Believer is a lush, orchestrated affair--more mid-1980s Elvis Costello than mid-1970s Rolling Stones. Players include the multi-talented Jon Brion (Fiona Apple, Punch-Drunk Love), who manned the boards for The Instigator, along with Gary Louris (from the Drakoulias-produced Jayhawks), and Rachael Yamagata. On the wistful "Fireflies," the sultry songstress and Miller trade verses like a modern day Gram Parsons and Emmy Lou Harris. Most of the material on The Believer is new, with the exception of the Old 97's compositions "Singular Girl" (a B-side) and the aching "Question"--presented here in a tender acoustic version--and "I Believe She's Lying." Ironically enough, on this Brion and Aimee Mann-penned number, Miller sounds a little like the Believer himself: The late, great Smith. --Kathleen C. FennessyVerve Forecast is proud to announce the release of Rhett Miller's second solo album, The Believer. A follow-up to the highly acclaimed The Instigator, the new record is brimming with, as Blender said, "knock 'em dead songs." Already widely-loved for his work as frontman and main songwriter of the hard-charging rock 'n' roll quartet the Old 97's (of which he is still a member), The Believer takes its predecessor's achievements several steps further, with a dozen deeply felt, craftily melodic tunes that demonstrate the Texas-bred artist's knack for using accessible songcraft to address complex emotional issues.

"The songs on The Believer are about sex, war, love and death...but mostly sex." Miller says. "Before going into the studio, I thought I'd be making a punk rock Ziggy Stardust, but I wound up with George Gershwin does T. Rex's The Slider."

The Believer was produced by George Drakoulias (Black Crowes, The Jayhawks, Tom Petty), and features an all-star cast of musicians including guitarist Lyle Workman (Sheryl Crow, Beck), drummer Matt Chamberlain (Pearl Jam, Tori Amos, David Bowie), multi-intsrumentalist Jon Brion (Kanye West, Fiona Apple), keyboardist Patrick Warren (Aimee Mann) and Gary Louris of The Jayhawks on background vocals. Rachel Yamagata lends a hand as well.

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