The Michael Mills Band are a blues band from Huntington Beach, California and are due to release Stand Up on March 20th 2020 via Sony/Orchard Records. This is the follow up to last year's Dream A Dream. The band describe how they like to " dig in on every song and keep it tight". They combine traditional 12 bar blues with their own incorporation of funk, soul and R'n'B. Stand Up delivers with powerful vocals, intricate guitar playing, and imaginative lyrics. It is all the elements of the band's signatures over the years that make their material always worth the listen.
The Michael Mills band comprises of some of the best musicians on the West Coast with Ron Ravicchio on drums, Scot Campbell on bass, Mark Weisz on B3 Hammond organ, Jesse Godoy on guitar and, of course, Michael Mills leading the cast on vocals. This unit forges tight chemistry that resonates across the airwaves on this upcoming release.
Opener Stand Up is an upbeat rocker that leaves the feet tapping. This guitar-driven track rolls along like a train rumbling through California. Mills' vocals are joyous, and the overall lyrics are positive. I found this to be a good opening track to ease new listeners into the band.
Feel It is a beautiful love song, full of soul and hope. Mills' Vocals reminds me of Bill Withers, as it's full of warmth and compassion. Jesse Godoy's' simple strums on acoustic guitar is a trusted accompaniment to the rich vocal timbre. The song builds to a mid-tempo before exploding into life with a soulful chorus accompanied by the raucous cries of the backup singers. This is a nicely arranged track that will light up anybody's summer.
My New Woman is a fun song with a bluesy feel. The slide guitar and bass drum forge a tandem to create a shuffle blues rhythm that supplements Mills' ever-adaptable range. The singer seems to have found his core with a strong set of musicians who are always on time with him. The band combine instruments like upside-down bass and harmonica to accentuate the lyrics about meeting a new woman. I felt this sounded like a delta blues track of joy and energy.
You Can't Hide is another soulful track steeped in rock and roll. The lyrics are about a breakup. Campbell's bass work is immense as the overarching bassline slides along like an unsuspecting rattlesnake in the swamplands. The music plays off this like it is a signal for the band to initiate a jam session of their greatest influences. Ravicchio delivers intense drum fills, as Mills continues to sound like a man in love with his work. The rhythm builds to a standstill with another guitar solo and the organ combination feels like a return to the seventies.
Finally, Chasing The Blues closes the album with a surprisingly heavy rock track. Mills vocals
are smooth and the guitar work continues to improve with each song. There is a nice solo at the end that ascends with every note. The riff is crunchy and fierce, as Mills gives the listener advice about achieving those goals.
I personally enjoyed Stand Up and saw signs of how the music has evolved from the first album. Mills is a tremendous vocalist with an equally talented band which makes me want to hear more from them.
The Michael Mills band will make you Stand Up and take note with this collection of gutsy blues and hair-raising rock and roll songs.
You can read my previous review of the band's last EP below https://anselmanderson.blogspot.com/2019/01/michael-mills-band-artist-review.html
You can find out more about Michael Mills music by visiting http://www.michaelmillsband.com/
or following them via http://www.facebook.com/themichaelmillsband
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