published: 17 /
12 /
2001
Label:
Loose Music
Format: CD
Picked up by the increasingly perceptive Loose Recordings, Chris Mills’ Kiss It Goodbye’ is the first of his three albums to benefit from a proper UK release. It follows his acoustic debut ‘Nobody’s F
Review
Picked up by the increasingly perceptive Loose Recordings, Chris Mills’ Kiss It Goodbye’ is the first of his three albums to benefit from a proper UK release. It follows his acoustic debut ‘Nobody’s Favorite’ (1997) and ‘Every Night Fight For Your Life’ (1998) the more electric oriented follow up, both of which were released on Sugar Free, also the U.S. home of Wheat. I mention this because six of the ten tracks on ‘Kiss It Goodbye’ were produced by Brian Deck who worked with Wheat on their acclaimed debut ‘Medeiros’. The balance of the tracks were produced by the prolific Chicago based alt. country activist Jon Langford, best known for his work with former Leeds based band The Mekons, now also based in Chicago. He’s gained attention most recently for his work with The Waco Brothers and The Pine Valley Cosmonauts.
Chris Mills is fast establishing himself as one of the key figures in the alt. Country movement, particularly the strong scene in Chicago itself, also home of one of the most productive labels the genre has generated – Bloodshot Records. It’s remarkable that the whole scene whilst predominantly populated by American artists seems to get as much, if not more, attention and respect in Europe than it does in the U.S. itself. Still their loss is our gain.
Able to call on an some excellent musicians to back him up such as Deanna Varagona (Lambchop), Kelly Hogan and on his recent UK tour, Mike Daly (Whiskeytown), Chris Mills has already developed into an impressive performer, who at just 25 has obviously got a lot more to offer. That’s not to say though that he isn’t already delivering the goods. The songs on ‘Kiss It Goodbye’, sung in Mills’ yearning tones, tell of escape, adversity, love, desperation and dysfunctional relationships. Whilst lyrically often of a melancholy nature the exuberance and feeling with which Mill’s imbues his material ultimately makes this an uplifting experience. Ironically, perhaps the most upbeat song on the album is ‘Fall’, a tale of abject misery and despair. The album’s final track, ‘Signal/Noise’, is also worthy of special mention. Comprised of an impressive cross pollination of styles, not unlike a lo-fi experiment involving Phil Spector and Shadow Morton it concludes the album in eerily memorable fashion.
A final suggestion of what you can expect from the album can be heard on the sole cover on the album, a song entitled ‘Crooked Vein’. The lyrics of the chorus are as follows: “I’m gonna stick a straight needle in my crooked vein; It carries cold blood to my crooked heart; And down my body to my liver part; That alcohol’s been tearing apart.” It was written by one Herman Jolly. Chris Mills obviously has a keen sense of humour. He’s also fashioned a rewarding if somewhat melancholy album that can be warmly embraced rather than kissed goodbye.
Track Listing:-
1
Brand New Day
2
Watch Chain
3
Crooked Vein
4
All You Ever Do
5
Tooth and Nail
6
Napkin In A Wine Glass
7
Fall
8
Borderline
9
Lips Are Like Poison
10
Signal/Noise
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