Mirah - C'mon Miracle
(K)
Mirah's track record is pretty impressive. All of her solo albums have been pretty well received, and she has built up a solid fanbase of devoted fans. This is due in no small part to her embodiment of the quintessential K Records songstress. After K had released exciting, fresh, and jagged folk (among many, many other things) for years, Mirah came along and wrapped the label's stereotypical aesthetic into one person who just happens to be an amazing songwriter. When her songs combine with Phil Elvrum's production, nothing can stop them, as was evidenced by the fabulous Advisory Committee.
So, after a few oddball forays with other projects, Mirah follows up
Advisory Committee with an equally great, but far more confident album. Phil's production is far less evident, though his vibe is present throughout. Which makes sense, because he didn't actually produce everything on the album. There are two songs which were recorded in Argentina by Bryce Panic (Old Time Relijun's former drummer).
In listening to this album dozens and dozens of times, I keep struggling to pick particular songs to single out. The songwriting is so confident, and at times so spare, that it seems each song could stand on its own as an indicator of Mirah's ability. Nothing falls short. With a calm and reserved mood throughout, there's very little bombast to be found here. The bounce and fun of "The Light," and the fuzzy "Look Up!" provide the album's few sonic peaks. "Nobody Has to Stay" and "The Struggle" collapse beneath swelling strings and "The Dogs of B.A." and "Exactly Where We're From" have playful ethnic tinges.
Falling somewhere between the simplicity of her first album and the heavily Elvrum-produced second album, 'C'mon Miracle' pushes Mirah's increasingly confident songs to the fore, allowing them to fully bloom.
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