Rhett Miller Believer CD

Personnel: Rhett Miller (vocals, hand claps); Rhett Miller; Danny DeLaMatyr (vocals, background vocals); Rossilind Ross Miller, Salim Nourallah (vocals); Josh Schwartz (guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Jon Brion (guitar, electric guitar, piano, organ, chamberlin, bass guitar); Lyle Workman (guitar, electric guitar); George Drakoulias (guitar, piano, shaker, tambourine, hand claps, percussion); Salim Nouraliah (bass guitar); Rachael Yamagata (vocals); Gary Louris (guitar, background vocals); Patrick Warren (chamberlin, keyboards); Matt Chamberlain (drums, percussion).
Audio Mixer: David Bianco.
Recording information: Allaire Studios, Shokan, NY; Sound City, Los Angeles, CA; Sound Factory, Los Angeles, CA.
Photographer: Mark Seliger.
The second major-label release by Old 97's frontman Rhett Miller is even better than its excellent predecessor, 2002's THE INSTIGATOR. This should come as no surprise to fans: Miller has the sort of sparkling talent destined to constantly evolve and refine itself. As a tunesmith, Miller writes moving songs with minted pop melodies that rock, twang, and etch themselves into the brain, and are made whole by his honest, emotionally charged voice.
With its stellar songcraft and sophisticated arrangements, THE BELIEVER is top-notch pop-leaning rock (or as Miller himself describes it, it's like "George Gershwin does T. Rex's THE SLIDER"). With a cast of seasoned session musicians and bright, pristine production by George Drakoulias (of Black Crowes and Tom Petty fame), THE BELIEVER has all the hallmarks of a polished pop product. But the expressive, emotional bent to Miller's songwriting and the conviction of his performances inject a healthy dose of humanity into the mix, and a genuine sense of yearning that does not go unnoticed.
Rhett Miller's third solo offering, like 2002's The Instigator, is a lush collection of great melodies wrapped brightly around catchy lyrics about the same subject he's been writing about since he began fronting Old 97's. Produced by George Drakoulias -- who has worked with the Black Crowes, the Jayhawks, the Cult, Tom Petty, and Maria McKee, to name a few -- The Believer has a clear, wide-open ring. Guitars are the driving force on this set, where Miller's lilting pop voice sails and swoops, emoting sincerely (even if he is a bit overwrought in places) while Matt Chamberlain's strings, and keyboards, fill it all in. Miller has a ton of guests on the album including Gary Louris, Jon Brion, and Rachael Yamagata (who duets with Miller on the beautiful, country-tinged "Fireflies"). Producers can only do so much, though, and The Believer is a case in point. Judging by his solo material in general and The Instigator in particular, Miller writes according to a particular formula. Simple changes, lilting melodies, one topic -- he's focused but at the same time it feels, with few exceptions, that one song becomes nearly indistinguishable from another. There are exceptions, though, in the rocking "Ain't That Strange," which is stripped down, with its guitars roiling and squalling, barely contained in the mix and nearly covering the vocal. Likewise "Delicate," is anything but. It's a rock & roll song without restraint or apology. It's the exception to the rule, however. That said, there are some gorgeously crafted moments here, including the jangle pop single "Help Me, Suzanne." No Miller disc would be complete without its country-rock moments; after all, he is a Texan, and while "Fireflies" is a ballad, "Singular Girl" is a straight-up country-rock tune with a honky tonk piano and the one-two shuffle beat, yet it has a chorus worthy of Matthew Sweet's Girlfriend. The quirky metaphor -- "Talking to you girl/is like long division...." -- is a Miller trademark, and these are everywhere on this set. The Believer may be a formula recording, but it still satisfies, for the most part, on the level of what it is: a finely crafted pop/rock album. And since there are sRolling Stone (p.90) - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "[F]ull of gracefully rocking arrangements and ace tunes....Miller is a well-read guy who believes in keeping his heart on his sleeve and his songs tidy and focused."
Entertainment Weekly (p.100) - "BELIEVER has gorgeous arrangements, melodies, turns of phrase, tailoring, and portraiture." -- Grade: B