“Indians and Clowns”, the self-titled track to Miriams Well’s newest album, is a hard-hitting bit of country rock that has just as much in common with Shania Twain and the Dixie Chicks as it does with Bon Jovi and Every Mother’s Nightmare. Building a sound that transcends beyond both of these styles is hard, but is something that the band’s members does with each subsequent track. “More Than I” slows things down, but keeps all members busy. While the vocals assume a front and center role, the guitar work here acts like a second set of vocals, further filling out the track.
The progression of the track is reminiscent of early solo Stevie Nicks work, while the guitar solo that comes into play soon after could easy have been cut by Richie Sambora or Slash. What results in “More Than I” is a track that runs the gamut between slow and fast, intense and intricate, and is the band’s second straight single-worthy track. “War No More” is perhaps the most interesting track that is on “Indians and Clowns”, due to the act changing up gears. What had largely worked in the country and rock veins previously takes on funk and soul, mixing a little bit of Detroit with the sizzling jazz scene of Harlem. “Big House” is one of the disc’s epic songs, its nearly five minute runtime providing ample room for the vocals and impassioned guitar lines to take listeners on a wild trip.
It is “Big House” that places Miriams Well in the same company as other epic rockers as Zeppelin or Lynyrd Skynyrd. The disc ends with “Did You Know That”, a perfect ending to “Indians and Clowns” that allows the vocals to gradually wind things down. As always, the guitars represent a secondary narrative that fleshes the track out. With nary a weak track to be found here, I know that I will be popping in “Indians and Clowns” whenever the mood strikes. Pick up the album and see why this album is such a must-have.
Top Tracks: Give Me Some Love, Waiting On A Plane
Rating: 8.4/10
Miriams Well – Indians and Clowns / 2010 Self / 9 Tracks / http://www.miriamswellmusic.com
