Guilty Music Monday #54
Written by gzabriel on Monday, 27 of July , 2009 at 3:25 pm

Long time no GMM guys! Well this week is gonna be a little different, for this week is a GMM Discovery. You know, one of those bands you find out about that you can’t decide if it’s good or so radio ready that you’ll get killed if you say you like it. We were emailed recently by Miles Fisher, a Dallas born actor and musician. He said he’d been reading our blog since this very feature was in its teens. We were charmed and thought we’d take a listen to his debut EP (downloadable for free on his site), self described as “edgy pop with accessible hooks”.
The EP begins with “Don’t Let Go” which kicks off with an almost Wolf Parade like guitar and a pulsating synth bass. Miles’ voice is very accessible and likable, and when backed by a huge kick drum, anthemic guitars, and a powerful synth, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. The second song is “What We Know”, which ups the tempo, adding chopped vocals and a more frantic synth to give the song a less conventional feel. I have to say: I think it’s the best song on the EP. The formula of straightforward pop and lyrics combined with quirkier, more electronic instrumentation finds a perfect balance on this song. My only wish is that it had a more memorable hook.
The next song is Half A Beer Left which goes for a folkier sound than the others. The song is a bit less interesting to me than the others as the slower pace coupled with the slight awkwardness in the choice of instrumentation make for a weaker song. The final song may be polarizing. A cover of The Talking Heads song, “This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)”, has Miles chopping up himself speaking to add an interesting percussive element and using uplifting piano and strings to give the song an buoyancy and lightness. Elements of glitch are most prominent on this song as the guitar and piano are constantly being cut up and repeated. While this song may be a bastardization for some die hard Talking Heads fans, the excellent use of piano, well done glitched vocals, and strength of Miles’ singing shows promise for the young musician. And personally, I like it. I look forward to seeing if Miles can further refine that balance between accessible and edgy, as he so adequately put it.
Miles Fisher - This Must Be The Place
Category: GMM
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Comment by one L bill
Made Monday, 27 of July , 2009 at 4:22 pm
I ran across his video for “This Must Be The Place” at a favored, non-music blog of mine. I have to say that the video was excellent and I downloaded the EP immediately after finding out it was free for the taking… not to mention I found myself watching his acting audition tape thing and reading his bio on Wkipedia. His is a name that I will definitely look for in the coming years. I’m sad to see that acting is a bit more of a passion for him. I love the music! The only part where I disagree with you is that I prefer “Don’t Let Go” over “What We Know”. However, that’s probably like arguing which kind of apple is your favorite.
Good luck, Miles.
Pingback by BESKIDTE TONER » Blog Archive » Miles Fisher – This must be the place
Made Thursday, 30 of July , 2009 at 12:20 pm
[...] .mp3: Miles Fisher – This must be the place [...]
