Mirah - C'mon Baby

  by Benjamin Howarth

published: 18 / 8 / 2005

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Review

Olympian singer-songwriter Mirah has long been a face on her home town’s underground music scene, and duly records for the influential K Records. It is, however, the Arrivederci Baby! label that has put out this release in Britain a year after it came out in America. After one listen, 'C’Mon Miracle' betrays its lo-fi background, and seems to demonstrate many common flaws; a simple sound and seemingly half finished songs, good ideas that don’t seem to have had their potential realised. It is only after repeated listens that one realises that this haphazardness is mostly deliberate. The songs, taken individually, are often very pleasant, mainly recorded with an acoustic guitar as the lead instrument. 'Jerusalem' is the most focused, with a strong vocal melody, a clear chorus and a driving drum line. Better, though, is 'The Dogs of B.A', with the sound of an old folk song, tinged with country and traditional European music. This best demonstrates Mirah’s habit of enlivening her music with sound effects, and unexpected instrumental turns. 'C’Mon Miracle' has a mysterious, other-worldly sound, that outreaches the lo-fi folk-rock it is grounded in. It would not sound out of place next to the psych-folk popular at the moment, and I doubt it would be outclassed either.

Track Listing:-

1 Nobody Has To Stay
2 Jerusalem
3 The Light
4 Don't Die In Me
5 Look Up!
6 We're Both So Sorry
7 The Dogs Of B.A.
8 The Struggle
9 You've Gone Away Enough
10 Promise
11 (Exactly Where We're From)