PARKER MILLSAP : BE HERE INSTEAD

PARKER MILLSAP : BE HERE INSTEAD

Rolling
The Real Thing
Vulnerable
It Was You
In Between
Dammit
Empty
Now, Here
In Your Eyes
Passing Through
Always
Being Alive

Label : Okrahoma Records

Release Date : April 9, 2021

Length : 38:30

Review (American Songwriter) : Some singer/songwriter types are content to simply share their wares, hoping to make a connection through words, melodies and music. That's fine of course, and in most cases, all that's expected. Parker Millsap goes a step further.several steps further for that matter. His music is enhanced by tone and treatment, making for a full sonic experience that's as striking as it is sensuous. Of course, that comes as no surprise given the accolades he's accumulated over the last several years, beginning with the Emerging Artist of the Year honors garnered from the Americana Music Association as the result of his 2014 eponymous sophomore set. With five albums in all, the kudos have continued unabated and its indeed little wonder, given his ability to underscore his effort with such vivid and varied arrangements. It follows then that Be Here Instead lives up to its title, thanks to a generally upbeat approach that's consistently both striking and often surprising. Whether it's the jaunty rhythm of "Rolling," the stomp and wail that accompanies "Vulnerable," the soulful strains of "Passing Through," the emotive expression igniting "Empty," or the steady and deliberate determination found in "Being Alive," Millsap constantly keeps his listeners guessing, veering from one sonic set-up to another while shifting mood and motif all at the same time. It's daring and distinctive in its own way, effectively elevating the album stylistically every step of the way. Even within the span of a single song, Millsap manages to maneuver the music to unexpected degrees, as demonstrated with the daringly defiant "Dammit," a track that starts off on a pulsating pulse and then builds into an over-the-top emotional assault. The same can be said of "Now Here," a rhythmic piece that takes a decidedly dramatic turn. Indeed, it's these unexpected twists and turns that make Millsap's music so compelling. That, in itself, is one reason why Be Here Instead offers such a striking alternative from practically everything else that's out there. It reflects, by all measures, a solid burst of brilliance.

Review (Written In Music) : Het drie jaar geledenuitgebrachte Other Arrangements toonde een evolutie van akoestische folkrock naar een meer dynamische rockende uitwerking met uitgebreide, elektrisch versterkte instrumentatie. Die evolutie zet zich nu verder door op de opvolger, Parker Millsap wordt ondersteund door zijn vaste tourband bij nagenoeg live ingespeelde sessies. vastgelegd door producer John Agnello voordien succesvol actief met Kurt Ville en Sonic Youth. De beproefde methode van singersongwriter met gitaar bij het componeren werd omgeruild voor een meer avontuurlijke benadering. Refererend de muzikale nalatenschap van Sly Stone en JJ Cale veroorloofde Millsap zich wat meer artistieke vrijheid en experimenteerde met klavieren en naast de traditiopnele drumkit drummachines uit gebreid met de effectpedaaltjes bleven evenmin onberoerd. Vulnerable is daarvan een mooi voorbeeld, de ritmische impuls van toetsen en de vloeiende gitaarlickjes creëren in combinatie met afwisselend ijle en krachtige zangpartijen een weergaloze in psychedelia gedipte soulsound. Verderop flaneert Always op soepele, luchtige patronen. Soul huist eveneens in It Was You maar de knap opgebouwde song leunt met de koortjes eerder aan bij gospel maar evenwel in de vrije interpretatie van Millsap. Evenals in het door de warme gloed van hammond en bluesy snarenlicks aangedreven Passing Trough.Het met sprankelende akoestische fingerpicking ingeleide The Real Thing op een melodieuze onderlaag van klavieren resulteert in een dromerige song die meer aansluit bij de hedendaagse countryfolk uit Nashville, de achtergrondzang is overigens afkomstig van de folk sensatie Erin Rae McKaskle. Het met simpele ruwe gitaarakkoorden opgetrokken en uit een jam gegroeide Damnit spat uit de luidsprekers met een ontketende Millsap en fiddler Het priemende snarenwerk in Being Alive sleept Millsap over de eindmeet, een podiumplaats is alvast gegarandeerd voor Be Here Instead.

Review (Entertainment Focus) : Singer-songwriter Parker Millsap was brought up in Oklahoma and is now based in Nashville. His music blends Country, Rock, Blues, Folk and Americana, and he released his debut album 'Palisade' in 2012. Since then, Millsap has gone on to receive widespread critical acclaim with his 2014 album 'Parker Millsap' and his 2016 album 'The Very Last Day' both topping the US Americana charts. Three years on from his last album, 'Other Arrangements', Millsap is back with his fifth studio album 'Be Here Instead', which sees him pushing his sound into new directions. 'Be Here Instead' is still unmistakeably Parker Millsap but sonically it's broader than the albums that have come before and lyrically it's more introspective than character-driven. Working with acclaimed producer John Agnello (Kurt Vile, Sonic Youth), Millsap is taking more risks than he ever has before and that's given him a new lease of life as an artist. The album opens with the 70s-tinged 'Rolling', a song that feels very pertinent at this point in time, and it's a nice way to ease long-time fans into the record. 'The Real Thing', the album's lead single, is a gorgeous combination of acoustic riffs and Millsap's quavering vocal. This is the kind of song that will hit his fanbase in the right places and it also shows why he's created such a buzz on the Americana scene over the past near-decade. The song features guest vocals from Erin Rae, and it's one of the highlights on the record. The first half of the record stays truer to the Millsap fans will know. Sure there are a few tweaks in the production here and there, but for the most part these songs sit neatly next to the singer-songwriter's back catalogue. The Blues-inflected 'It Was You' is a stripped-back gem, the finger-picking simplicity of 'In Between' is stunning, and 'Dammit' pulses along with an urgency that sweeps you up and takes you on a journey. The more experimental moments on the record arrive with track 8, 'Now, Here'. Millsap recently spoke to me about the making of the song, revealing that he used GarageBand to compose the synth-filled beat-driven track. This is completely outside of what we've heard from Millsap before but it works. In fact, it works so well that I'm hoping for further experimentation on future records. 'In Your Eyes' takes you back to the synth of the 80s and it's one of my favourite tracks here. The steady beat combines with shimmering guitars for a real gem of a song. The bluesy 'Passing Through' has soul running through it alongside incredible guitar riffs, and of course Millsap's commanding vocal. We hear the grittier side of his voice as well as his falsetto, and it's beautiful. The dreamy 'Always' adds shuddering beats to a relaxed, hazy summer groove perfect for the warmer months ahead and closing track 'Being Alive', sounds like the kind of song that The Beatles would have killed for back in their hey-day. 'Be Here Instead' is an album that is full of surprises and it works for Millsap's longtime fans as well as newcomers. There's so much variety packed in across these 12 tracks that I'm excited to see how Millsap pulls this together into a cohesive live set. His musicianship has never shined more brightly and if you've not checked out Parker Millsap yet, then now is the perfect time.