The Miners – Megunticook
2021 – Self Released
This is another album that was released in late 2021, and although it’s a few months late I felt I just had to get something down in ‘print’ about it, because If ever there was a recording for which the word ‘grower’ was invented, it has to be Megunticook. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed it from the start, as I knew I would, having played the Miners previous recording, Miners’ Rebellion, an e.p/mini album (where does one start and the other finish?) to death over the previous ten years! It’s just that the melodic flow lulled me a little into thinking it was predominately a ‘very pleasant’ album of incredibly catchy melodies, good songs, vocals, playing and indeed arrangements, which it most certainly is.
As you listen to the recording more, not only does it seem to get better with each listen, but you start to lose yourself in the depths of the mini epic dramas that are set to this beautifully melodic music and tell stories that will remain with the listener for a very long time. That is the beauty of this album, lyrically many of the stories, whilst echoing snippets of life, rarely bring resolutions, instead leaving it to the listeners imagination to resolve a variety of situations and problems rather than a neat little package with a start and finish.
Then you add the fact that lead singer Keith Marlowe is a ‘classic alt. country’ vocalist in the same league as Jay Farrar, Ryan Adams and just a few others who ‘define’ the alt. country term. Of course, no one can really define that throwaway term, but the fact is it does exist and is in constant use and is generally a split between country and rock, the percentages being both variable and arguable. But whatever this album is, it’s not really that, it is far more weighted towards country although it does include some strong rock elements. In many ways it probably has more in common with a countrified Jayhawks than Uncle Tupelo but without the over production and with a vocalist that appeals, certainly to me, more than Gary Louris.
Founded back in 2007 in Philadelphia, PA. the Miners consists of Keith Marlowe on lead vocals, electric and acoustic guitar, Gregg Hiestand, bass, Vaughn Shinkus on drums and vocals, with Brian Herder on pedal steel guitar and the songs are all Keith Marlowe originals. For those wondering where the word Megunticook comes from, it is actually a popular hiking, mountain and river area in the state of Maine, U.S.A.
It's certainly been a long wait for this album, but you can’t rush a good thing, and this is certainly very, very good, in fact it figured highly in my 2021 albums of the year list and on reflection I can’t think of a better band album from the various high-quality lists that were around at the end of 2021.
Album opener Without you gets under way with the sound of a lovely dobro and acoustic guitar on a heart-rending sad song. As things pick up the fiddle and electric guitar come in underpinned by the steel guitar as well as restrained but excellent harmonies on the chorus of this beautifully melodic tale of lost love. The sadness is far more tangible than on the average lost love song and the heartbreak in Keith Marlowe’s vocal performance is quite palpable. The melodicism of Leaving for Ohio has much in common with the Jayhawks, with the electric guitars, repetitive chorus and excellent lead and harmony vocals, and as applies to virtually every song on this recording, a gorgeous melody on the story of a daughter who is finally leaving home. This band have the knack of coming up with perfect for purpose arrangements and making excellent use of the varied instrumentation that usually includes steel guitar. The changes in tempo and subject matter, that often echo life, and of course the tremendous melodies, all combine to produce an outstanding album by this talented band. Rocked up guitars and thudding percussion get Call me up underway on a story that seems to be told by the son about his father and leaves many unanswered questions about the man, although the lyrics describe the basics of who he is. It’s very cleverly written, as just thoughts going through the son’s mind in the four and a half minutes of the song, leaving the listener wanting answers to those questions. Because of the strong characterization I found myself, as many will and no doubt have, trying to contrive those answers. On first listen I thought this was a pretty good song, but it is fast becoming, at least to me, the strongest on the album. Apologize is a song that emphasises ‘it’s never too late to apologize’ although in the case of the characters in this familial tale it seems as if it could well be. Of course, being just a short time span in their lives perhaps the troubled main character in this tale will eventually do so. We never know, and that’s the beauty of an album that deals in the main with real life situations, resolution is not always there. Acoustic guitar, banjo, dobro and mandolin introduce Cardboard sign a beautifully descriptive commentary of a homeless teenage girl. Again, no resolution, perhaps that’s for another song, or album, but again you can’t help but wonder what will happen to this attractive girl, as well as fear for her on this beautifully arranged story.
I’ve been playing The Miners e.p and a single that was released a couple of years ago, dozens of times on my radio show. It’s lovely to now have a ten-song collection that I will never tire of to take over from those old worn tracks on the show. Hopefully it won’t be ten years before their next recording but if it is a long way off, I’ll be content to play this great album until such time as it does appear.
https://www.minersmusic.com/
This is another album that was released in late 2021, and although it’s a few months late I felt I just had to get something down in ‘print’ about it, because If ever there was a recording for which the word ‘grower’ was invented, it has to be Megunticook. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed it from the start, as I knew I would, having played the Miners previous recording, Miners’ Rebellion, an e.p/mini album (where does one start and the other finish?) to death over the previous ten years! It’s just that the melodic flow lulled me a little into thinking it was predominately a ‘very pleasant’ album of incredibly catchy melodies, good songs, vocals, playing and indeed arrangements, which it most certainly is.
As you listen to the recording more, not only does it seem to get better with each listen, but you start to lose yourself in the depths of the mini epic dramas that are set to this beautifully melodic music and tell stories that will remain with the listener for a very long time. That is the beauty of this album, lyrically many of the stories, whilst echoing snippets of life, rarely bring resolutions, instead leaving it to the listeners imagination to resolve a variety of situations and problems rather than a neat little package with a start and finish.
Then you add the fact that lead singer Keith Marlowe is a ‘classic alt. country’ vocalist in the same league as Jay Farrar, Ryan Adams and just a few others who ‘define’ the alt. country term. Of course, no one can really define that throwaway term, but the fact is it does exist and is in constant use and is generally a split between country and rock, the percentages being both variable and arguable. But whatever this album is, it’s not really that, it is far more weighted towards country although it does include some strong rock elements. In many ways it probably has more in common with a countrified Jayhawks than Uncle Tupelo but without the over production and with a vocalist that appeals, certainly to me, more than Gary Louris.
Founded back in 2007 in Philadelphia, PA. the Miners consists of Keith Marlowe on lead vocals, electric and acoustic guitar, Gregg Hiestand, bass, Vaughn Shinkus on drums and vocals, with Brian Herder on pedal steel guitar and the songs are all Keith Marlowe originals. For those wondering where the word Megunticook comes from, it is actually a popular hiking, mountain and river area in the state of Maine, U.S.A.
It's certainly been a long wait for this album, but you can’t rush a good thing, and this is certainly very, very good, in fact it figured highly in my 2021 albums of the year list and on reflection I can’t think of a better band album from the various high-quality lists that were around at the end of 2021.
Album opener Without you gets under way with the sound of a lovely dobro and acoustic guitar on a heart-rending sad song. As things pick up the fiddle and electric guitar come in underpinned by the steel guitar as well as restrained but excellent harmonies on the chorus of this beautifully melodic tale of lost love. The sadness is far more tangible than on the average lost love song and the heartbreak in Keith Marlowe’s vocal performance is quite palpable. The melodicism of Leaving for Ohio has much in common with the Jayhawks, with the electric guitars, repetitive chorus and excellent lead and harmony vocals, and as applies to virtually every song on this recording, a gorgeous melody on the story of a daughter who is finally leaving home. This band have the knack of coming up with perfect for purpose arrangements and making excellent use of the varied instrumentation that usually includes steel guitar. The changes in tempo and subject matter, that often echo life, and of course the tremendous melodies, all combine to produce an outstanding album by this talented band. Rocked up guitars and thudding percussion get Call me up underway on a story that seems to be told by the son about his father and leaves many unanswered questions about the man, although the lyrics describe the basics of who he is. It’s very cleverly written, as just thoughts going through the son’s mind in the four and a half minutes of the song, leaving the listener wanting answers to those questions. Because of the strong characterization I found myself, as many will and no doubt have, trying to contrive those answers. On first listen I thought this was a pretty good song, but it is fast becoming, at least to me, the strongest on the album. Apologize is a song that emphasises ‘it’s never too late to apologize’ although in the case of the characters in this familial tale it seems as if it could well be. Of course, being just a short time span in their lives perhaps the troubled main character in this tale will eventually do so. We never know, and that’s the beauty of an album that deals in the main with real life situations, resolution is not always there. Acoustic guitar, banjo, dobro and mandolin introduce Cardboard sign a beautifully descriptive commentary of a homeless teenage girl. Again, no resolution, perhaps that’s for another song, or album, but again you can’t help but wonder what will happen to this attractive girl, as well as fear for her on this beautifully arranged story.
I’ve been playing The Miners e.p and a single that was released a couple of years ago, dozens of times on my radio show. It’s lovely to now have a ten-song collection that I will never tire of to take over from those old worn tracks on the show. Hopefully it won’t be ten years before their next recording but if it is a long way off, I’ll be content to play this great album until such time as it does appear.
https://www.minersmusic.com/