PhillyCheeze's Rock & Blues Reviews: Brandon Miller

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Saturday, January 27, 2024

#657 : Danielle Nicole - The Love You Bleed (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

2024 – Forty Below Records

By Phillip Smith; Jan. 27, 2024

Release Date : Jan. 26, 2024

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

Nearly six years have passed since Danielle Nicole released her Grammy Nominated Cry No More album. Produced by Tony Braunagel, The Love You Bleed is Danielle’s third studio album as a solo artist. It most certainly makes for a brilliant return and is an absolutely amazing listen from start to finish. The songs she writes are heart-felt and filled with true grit. They are then sung with a fearless grace. With Danielle on vocals and bass guitar, she is joined by her husband Brandon Miller on guitars and mandolin, and Go-Go Ray on drums. Braunagel appears on percussion, with Stevie Blacke on strings.

My heart melts from the opening words sung on “Right By Your Side”. Danielle’s angelic vocals take top billing on this dreamy Sixties Soul-inspired song. Arriving on an ominous hill-country blues riff, “Head Down Low” begins as a slow-cooker which Miller and Go-Go bring to a rapid, intense boil. Danielle generously pours an added fierceness on top vocally. Her performance of Trisha Yearwood’s “A Lover is Forever” is so stunning and her voice is so beautiful, I cannot help but think of Amy Winehouse. “Say You’ll Stay” intrigues me as it navigates from a retro Fifties pocket of soul into an ethereal Beatles-esque realm. It’s a very emotional song sung with a gorgeous delivery. “Fools Gold” sinks its claws in deep with an infectious rhythm, and beat-poet lyrics. Damon Parker adds a grand touch on synth, as Miller shines on slide guitar. There is no escape from the soul-wrenching “Who He Thinks You Are”. This tsunami of melancholia is a flawless gem on track for song of the year. The record ends with a breath of hope on “Young Love on the Hill”. Played on mandolin, the song is a sweet splash of Americana.

The Love You Bleed is Danielle Nicole’s best album to date and receives my highest of recommendations. It only gets better with each listen.

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For more information about the artist, visit this website : https://daniellenicolemusic.com

Follow the link below for other PhillyCheeze reviews featuring Danielle Nicole

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/search?q=Danielle+Nicole

Saturday, February 16, 2019

#375 : Danielle Nicole - Live at the Famous Mockingbird

Danielle Nicole

Live @ The Famous Mockingbird

Marion, Iowa

Feb. 15, 2019

By Phillip Smith; Feb. 16,2019

The Famous Mockingbird was the place to be for two stellar sets of blues on Friday, February 15. It was a sold-out show, and the excitement was surely in the air to see Danielle Nicole, who was a 2019 Grammy Nominee for Best Contemporary Blues Album. Her band consisted of drummer Ralph Forrest, and guitarist Brandon Miller, who will be returning to Famous Mockingbird with his band in the near future.

The show led off with the smooth and buttery “Hot Spell” from her latest album, Cry No More. Her luscious vocals and thumping bass sounded absolutely fabulous. Other amazing cuts from that album which landed in the first set were, “Lord I Can’t Keep From Crying”, “Pusher Man”, “Burning For You”, and “My Heart Just Remains”. I loved her cover of Willie Dixon’s “I Just Want to Make Love to You”, and Howlin’ Wolf’s “Spoonful”. She soulfully covered Lukas Nelson’s “Find Yourself”, and closed the show with “Save Me” chockful of heavy riffs, and wonderful guitar shredding from Miller.

It was a splendid show indeed.

* Photos by Phillip Smith

Sunday, November 20, 2016

Danielle Nicole live at Campbell Steele Gallery - Nov. 19, 2016

Marion, Iowa

By Phillip Smith; Nov. 20, 2016

Saturday, November 19, singer/bassist Danielle Nicole gave an exquisite performance to a sold out crowd at Campbell Steele Gallery in Marion, Iowa. Singer/bassist Nicole, previously of the Kansas City band, Trampled Under Foot, is now in command of her own band, consisting of the very talented guitarist Brandon Miller, keyboardist extraordinaire Mike “Shinetop Jr.” Sedovic, and the outstanding Jon Faircloth on drums. This troop of musicians is one of the tightest groups I’ve heard, and hearing them play live is truly an electric experience.

Nicole beautifully performed the tremendous “Give Me Tonight” by Grammy Award winning songwriter and producer Anders Osborne, who also happened to produce Nicole’s 2015 Wolf Den album. Their performance of “Starvin’ For Love” was both joyous and riveting. Miller tore into some lush slide guitar on their deliciously haunting cover of Son House’s “Death Letter Blues.”

The first segment of the second set featured Nicole onstage alone, armed with acoustic guitar instead of her bass. She captivated the audience with John Prine’s “Angel From Montgomery”, and a poignant delivery of Bob Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice”, before taking on Dolly Parton’s “Jolene”.

A moment of remembrance for the great soul singer Sharon Jones (May 4, 1956 – November 18, 2016) was taken, as Nicole shared her memories of opening up for Jones at a music festival overseas. This ushered in a most fitting tribute as they broke out the funk in Jones’ “Nobody’s Baby”. Another tribute to a recently fallen musical dignitary was taken later in the evening with a terrific performance of Prince’s “Purple Rain”. Nicole sang this with intensity and heartfelt emotion as Miller payed a stellar guitar solo.

Although the band played for nearly three hours with just a smidge of a break, it was an evening which no one really wanted to end. This is what the blues is all about.

* all photos by Phillip Smith