  |
2004
"Lisa Miller has the kind of talent that, every now and then, stuns you to a wide-eyed gasp." "She's good Lisa Miller. Very, very good." "You guys are great!" |
  |
2002
"An irresistible, smoky, four-in-the-morning voice .... a blissful experience" 4 1/2 stars "This is a sublime record." 4 stars "One of the most divine voices ever heard in Australia." 4 stars |
  |
2002-2004
"Like a late-night fire of glowing embers that warm rather than scorch. "
"The passion, bravery and mastery with which she inhabited each song were transporting - at times, it was as though you could feel her breath against your skin". "I'm telling you, there was only one place that you would have rather wanted to be and that was inside her microphone." |
  |
1999
"An album without a weak link and at least five singles to pick from. This is the performance of an artist totally in control of her medium." "The full scale of Lisa Miller's songwriting becomes apparent. Add to that a voice that can switch from a tough Chrissie Hynde sneer to a tender Lucinda Williams whisper, and you've got a quite brilliant album." |
  |
1996
Buried under a pile of manilla folders somewhere. But they were all pretty good. |
Reviews for VERSION ORIGINALE
Some people come and go without leaving a noticeable trace. You can hear plenty of them on the radio every day. Not Lisa Miller. She is a reminder that it's not always the first moment of a song and a singer that matters but what mark is left with you afterwards. It's then that you can fall in love with a song or a voice again and again.
SYDNEY MORNING HERALD
Lisa Miller is proof that a great album by a great artist can still find an audience in Australia. Her distinctive, late-night voice and heartfelt, beautifully crafted songs have already had the reviewers struggling to do justice to its sublime power.
DAILY TELEGRAPH
Lisa Miller has the kind of talent that, every now and then, stuns you to a wide-eyed gasp.
INPRESS
Version Originale is, simply, natural. It is pop music with finesse and heart and wonderful soul. It is as sensitive as it is beautifully executed. Space to breathe but not to drown... That Lisa Miller has succeeded admirably in making a record to treasure is undeniable. Version Originale is as good as, if not better, than any other Australian record released this year.
THE BRAG
An episodic and miniature world of feelings and heartfelt experiences. Version Originale truly captures the heart of the country, the soul of suburbia and an individual persona of a singer-songwriter at the height of her craft.
RHYTHMS
Again Lisa Miller has proved she likes to fly in the face of what is commercially expected. The unquestionable strengths in her songwriting and the conviction in her sublimely pure and soulful voice, will help cement her reputation as the best Australia has to offer.
THE WEST AUSTRALIAN
Even in this huge, warm cavern of sound, the focus remained on the slow, mesmerising dance of Miller's voice. For all her band's empathy and skill, that was the part that consistently transcended reason.
THE AGE A3 LIVE REVIEW
When Miller sang, the sweetness in her voice was so appealing it was impossible to doubt the sincerity of her lyrics.
BEAT LIVE REVIEW
Version Originale has the same addictive quality of everything touched by her gossamer throat strings; the same understated, apparently effortless senses of melody and craft, with, if possible, an even more affecting emotional directness.
ROLLING STONE 4 stars
A textbook case of how to write about your kids without resorting to something with the faintest whiff of a cliche.
BEAT - COVER STORY
Melodic and substantial.
VOGUE - BEST OF THE MONTH
If there's any justice, this album will scoop the pool. It's a class act all round with Miller's plaintive vocals weaving sensuous delight on a collection of fine original tunes.... this is prickles-up-the-spine territory.
QANTAS MAGAZINE
With Version Originale Miller's magical ability to elevate a song above its existing parts is no less disarming. It goes beyond the quality of her voice, which sounds more pleasant than really remarkable - until you realise your pulse is slowing and there is a æthread of dribble hanging off your lip. Like all the greatest singers, it is less about pitch and timbre than her ability to make you believe she's breathing and bleeding in there...
THE AGE EG FEATURE ALBUM 4.5 stars
If you are looking for a distinctive songstress who pens tunes which will stay with you for a lifetime of rainy Sunday afternoons, then here is your woman. Miller has been a critics' darling for many years and it remains a recurring frustration that the commercial airwaves haven't embraced such a superlative talent.
DAILY TELEGRAPH
Version Originale reveals the singer in strong, enticing form. her melodic voice is lulling, but never dull.
SUN HERALD
A sublime tapestry of harp, bass, drums and guitars. From there Miller, whose voice is part-sugar, part-grit, serves up a heartfelt, understated folk, rock, pop, jazz and country collection. HHHH (4 stars)
SUNDAY TELEGRAPH
Version Originale shows Miller off at her most charming and lyrically astute. From cutting breakup songs to sad-eyed laments and boldly stated stands of strength, this album has it all, and again marks Lisa Miller as a truly supreme talent.
FILMINK
Version Originale, all songs by Lisa Miller, a hell of a stocking filler this Christmas and a genius pop record. Umpteen stars.
BEAT - ALBUM OF THE WEEK
Sometimes you can listen to an album and just tell that everything has fallen together in the right way; right time; right place; right people. Her vocal style is pure and ingenuous - a rare treat in this era of modern day histrionics.
INPRESS
Miller really shines on the ballads and you know she can reach some great emotional depths. Definitely a worthy companion to Car Tape.
DRUM MEDIA
A beautiful local release from Lisa Miller that effortlessly flits between jazzy originals and introspective pop, and showcases both a distinct voice and a solid compositional touch. Miller is a classic songwriter.
THE BRAG - CD OF THE WEEK
Version Originale, although all from Lisa's own pen, sounds every bit the twin to Car Tape. Buy several copies now - present them to friends and loved ones - and help Version Originale onto this year's Top Ten lists.
FORTE
Firstly, Lisa Miller's new album is without doubt the best female record of the year! Secondly, a declaration like that isn't made lightly. So what makes Version Originale stand out? Easy. It's her beautifully crafted alt-pop songs that are so heartfelt, honest and raw, it's a credit to her for allowing us to get this close. This album comes highly recommended.
THE BUZZ 4.5 stars
In a word: sophisticated.
HERALD SUN
These songs tell of love and breakups, of trying to help others in despair and the joy of life. Miller makes it seem that a song is the best way to explain it. Version Originale is another important and confident step for Lisa Miller and establishes her as one of Australia's best singers and a fine songwriter. You do need this album
DIG RADIO
She's good Lisa Miller. Very, very good.
SYDNEY MORNING HERALD
Version Originale is a fitting title for a one-of-a-kind performer and songwriter of immeasurable talent. Let's lift Lisa to the status she deserves: star.
WHAMMO
You guys are great!
NEIL YOUNG
Reviews for Car Tape
"The passion, bravery and mastery with which she inhabited each song were transporting -- at times, it was as though you could feel her breath against your skin."
The Age, Live Review
"Like a thunderbolt out of the sky, bright, bold, beautiful, and awe-inspiring."
Beat Magazine, Album Of The Week
"Gloriously delicate."
Daily Telegraph
"Not a weak track on it"
Courier Mail
"A collection of tracks ideal for road reflection...but this CD is so good just listening at home is a great experience"
Sunday Herald-Sun
"It's triumph is in making compositions from neglected or forgotten figures sound like standards."
Herald-Sun, HIT
"So much hidden talent, it could almost make you cry."
Sydney Morning Herald
"...a wonderful album, stacked with obscure songs and seductive melodies."
Scene
"Lisa Miller has got a new album. It's a concept album at the same time as it's a covers album, and it's very, very good."
Beat Magazine
"Somewhere warm. That's just where Car Tape will take you."
in-Press
"A collection of beautifully reworked rare tunes that whisper around the edges of your conscience"
Revolver
"Car Tape is for the long drive. It will outlast a summer holiday up the coast and still be in the dashboard next Easter."
HQ
"Car Tape is just one of those ideas that's so simple it works a treat."
dB Magazine
"This will be a critical rave and could be a commercial success given half a chance."
Country Music Capital News
"This stunningly beautiful CD is the kind of dream record everybody wishes they had pumping out of their car stereo on a long road trip."
The West Australian
"The emphasis is on the essentials of mood and melody: Car Tape is arranged with a sparsity that aches."
Rolling Stone
"Pure midnight cabaret, conjuring up a musical mood that sticks to the lonely side of blue."
The Bulletin
"Raoul Records have really put out something here that has extra special quality."
Drum Media
"Beautifull bending these less than familiar tunes to her evocative style, tinged with sadness but still emotionally warm."
Rave Magazine
"Car Tape is already in my car CD rack." 4 stars
The Age Green Guide
"An absolutely beautiful female vocal with just the right amount of twang, gorgeous lilting guitars that rub the back of your neck so lightly they feel like the breeze, and outstanding renditions of songs.... Sublime."
Revolver
"No affectations, just pure and and clear and dedicated to presenting the song in the best way possible."
in-Press Magazine
"So potent are her vesions, you'll be inspired to take a road trip."
Time Off
"When night falls on a road trip and your back-seat drivers are lolling and dreaming, this is the music you need."
Sunday Age
"Lisa's voice becomes better with each album and is absolutely sublime here."
Daily Telegraph
"Thirteen stunning interpretations, all with minimal instrumentation, subtly pushing Miller's wonderful voice to the fore."
Forte Magazine
"Songs sung with love, played with respect, and produced with originality. This album is set to become one of your future favourites."
www.cow-punk-quarterly.com
"What a fascinating covers album. Nothing here is obvious."
Undercover
"Miller's fetching country lilt and keening voice, and the considered and sympathetic accompaniment around her, renders each song with an almost reverential care. This is a lovely album for anyone who cares about quality." 8 stars
Financial Review
"One of the treasures of Melbourne's urban country underground, Lisa Miller has drawn another round of swooning reviews for her third album, Car Tape. Miller's pure fragile vocal quality reprises the vulnerable/invincible ladies of country from Patsy Cline to Emmylou Harris, without sounding like any of them."
Sydney City Search
"Critical acclaim for Car Tape is gaining momentum, as is Miller's reputation for sublime, miss-at-your-peril live performances."
Beat
"Thirteen beautifully rendered heartfelt songs, many of them rather obscure, and mainly laidback and sombre. The emotional performances and the song choices are what makes this album work. A lot of the songs deal with love and devotion to it. Miller's voice aches and yearns.... this is a great album, a late night album, thoughtful and reflective, not speeding down the highway. Maybe driving alone at night after a confused fight with a lover, or meeting someone new."
Strum
Live Reviews
Lisa Miller imbued all her songs with a new emotional richness
Bernard Zuel
August 9, 2004
Gaelic Club, Sydney, August 6 2004
It helps to have an audience fired up and giving back energy, drive, love even, when you're on stage. That exchange can create a bubble, a separate space that is not so much cut off from the rest of the world as not needing it. At least not for two hours. We have seen it in recent years with Mercury Rev.
Some artists never build that bridge and consequently operate remotely: they are to be admired but not to be touched or to touch. That's not necessarily bad; it just isn't transformative as the best gigs can be. The Who's shows last month are an example.
Sometimes the audience is not quite there: liking it but not able to make that leap into connecting or throwing back their share. It can leave artists floating untethered, drifting further away throughout the night despite all their efforts.
Unless, that is, there is some internal dynamic, some inward-looking compulsion/propulsion for the performance that operates irrespective of the external.
Great pain, happiness or anything from the "outside" world that can't be controlled in the normal course of events in this context can be directed and used to stoke the inner fire.
That's what seemed to be happening with Lisa Miller on this night. Against the warm but restrained response of the audience she burned intensely. There was no obvious change in appearance. She joked self-deprecatingly as usual; she teased guitarist Shane O'Mara as usual. But when she sang, everything took on a stronger hue. It was as if she was feeling all of the songs, all of the lyrics, with greater force or a new eye. The result was a voice slightly thicker and a tone even richer.
The usually charming I Love You a Thousand Dollars had a surprising grip at its core, a little tense hold on your attention, while No Place To Fall and Eleven were so strong in their vulnerability and brave in their openness. Likewise, a rare treat of Safe As Houses, done with only O'Mara accompanying, was like a late-night fire of glowing embers that warm rather than scorch.
Although even the lighter material, such as the joyful New Record (which finished the night on a loose but girlishly buoyant note) felt the effects of Miller's intensity, the greatest difference was in numbers such as the torch song Hold On, which saw her singing with a slowly expanding power that, when O'Mara's guitar ran free, was there to match him and the band quite thrillingly.
Subtly but perceptibly, Miller's approach pushed her band further, particularly Garrett Costigan, who delivered one fiery pedal steel solo, and O'Mara, who was unusually condensed but even more potent.
Maybe a hint of what lay behind this night's intensity came in the dedication of one song to Miller's mother "up in the sky". But whatever the reason, the result was a show that defied the circumstances and, in its own way, defined the performer.
Beautiful, melodic triumph for Melbourne's quiet achiever
Sophie Best
The Age, May 29 2002
Corner Hotel, Richmond, May 24 2002
The return of Lisa Miller was to mark her superb, new CD Car Tape. It was a revelation at once startling and familiar.
Familiar, because Miller, a singer-songwriter acclaimed for her rootsy, melodic pop-rock, is so beloved by her fans - not just for her achingly beautiful voice, but for the resonant sincerity of her songwriting.
And startling, because she subverts the received wisdom of the outward-looking music industry by quietly reminding us that sometimes the greatest victories take place in your hometown.
Miller's performance on Friday night was nothing short of victorious, proving that it is, indeed, the quiet ones whom you have to watch.
It is nearly three years since Miller released her acclaimed album, As Far as a Life Goes, on the back of her impressive solo debut, Quiet Girl With a Credit Card. And it's been a while since she has headlined a dinner-and-show performance.
Yet Miller commanded her role in the spotlight with such presence that it was impossible to tear your eyes from the stage.
From the moment she opened her mouth to sing, it was a vocal performance of intense intimacy and visceral power.
And the accomplished musicianship and arrangements that she brought to the stage were world-class, resulting in a breathtakingly high-quality and beautifully orchestrated, yet utterly natural and joyous, live music experience.
The care and imagination that had gone into the performance was evident from the opening bracket of three much-loved songs from As Far as a Life Goes.
The poignant Big Star was followed by a sassy rendition of Rule Number One (Never Trust a Man) in girl-group style, the twist being that the girl singers were boys - Douglas Robertson (Icecream Hands) and Royce Doherty (Kiva), who provided truly gorgeous back-up vocals, with enough "bop-bops" and "ahhs" and "oohs" to melt the heart of any harmony lover, spooning ladles of sweetness all over Miller's melodies.
After a stirring version of Safe As Houses, the original material made way for Miller and her band to showcase the impeccable selection of obscure songs from Car Tape.
From the opening number, Evil, to her finale, the whimsical, sentimental Charlie Rich love song, We Love Each Other, Miller made other people's songs her own.
The passion, bravery and mastery with which she inhabited each song were transporting - at times, it was as though you could feel her breath against your skin.
And going by audience reactions - held breath, stunned silence, rapturous applause, goofy smiles - there was nowhere that anyone would rather be than with Miller and her Car Tape soundtrack at the Corner on a Friday night in Melbourne.
It was a sweet, transcendent victory for Miller and her fans, and an intensely memorable performance.
So Much hidden talent, it could make you cry
Bernard Zuel
Sydney Morning Herald, July 5 2002
The Metro, Sydney, June 4 2002
There's a lot wrong with the fact that Lisa Miller effectively is a hidden treasure. And we could spend the next few minutes bemoaning the prevalence of ordinary talents who get the attention owed to her; not to mention a bit of self-flagellation for those of us in the Sydney media who haven't done enough to make her famous. But instead let's look at why you need to do more to hear and see her next time she's in your neighbourhood.
She's a fine songwriter in her own right, albeit too sparingly recorded (if you find my copy of her first album, Quiet Girl with a Credit Card, please return it) but she also is a gifted interpreter. There's still something no-one else has touched in her version of Woman Left Lonely on that debut, for example, and on her current album of covers, Car Tape, there's that same feeling in her guitar-driven slow burn on the soul standard Have a Little Mercy.
With some of the waifish tone of Victoria Williams and the tremble of the young Dolly Parton, her voice is not quite soul, can dip into country and has the plaintiveness of folk blues. But its most compelling element is the way it can make you cry without any noticeable tugging on obvious strings.
And this was even more evident live. In her hands Townes Van Zandt's No Place to Fall and Gene Clark and Doug Dillard's Why Not Your Baby? became songs for dawn and dusk, for neither bright nor gloom. She brought out the sadness but eschewed the temptation for tragedy and the result was even more affecting.
That careful balance was there too in Lyle Lovett's Nobody Knows Me (heartbreaking, with just a glimmer of hope) but that wasn't her only card.
Watch Miller use her subtle but unmistakable sexiness to throw a bit of cocked hip into The Boy that Radiates that Charm and a cheeky smile into Give Back the Key to My Heart and you see the experience that pop ingenues need another lifetime to reach.
She's charming and warm, can sing like a dream and need be only a few feet away from you at any time. There's really no need to keep her hidden any longer, is there?
Beat Live Reviews
Shane Moritz
Beat, Wed Oct 23 2002
Cornish Arms, Brunswick, Oct 12 2002
The silky chanteuse from St Kilda played at the Cornish Arms on October 12 and I'm telling you there was only one place that you would have rather wanted to be and that was inside her microphone because Lisa sings other peoples songs and she does so with aplomb; to hear her take on Bill Withers or Gene Clark is the bomb, kid, and her latest collection is all the proog you need.
Her latest album, Car Tape, is the best, most aromatic bath music this century. It elevates the classic mix-tape concept to a fine art. This gentle miracle of pop interpretation received a well-deserved ARIA nomination (3, actually: Ed). Car Tape contains thirteen country-grazing, pop diamonds that simmer with a kind of sultry 70s soul. It's an album perfect for a twilight twist on the side of some country road with only you, the missus, an eyeful of shining stars and an earful of Lisa singing her stunning, torch-lit ballads. I am hereby convinced that Car Tape is not only the most universally loved album of the year, but also the best Christmas present ever created for cool, older sisters. To be unmoved by this albums fatal charms is strange, perhaps even as perverse as not liking barbeques.
On Saturday, Brunswick had the hot ticket, and Lisa Miller had the mic at her mercy. She started with a few smoky verses, then grinned to the crowd. Behind her stood five, able-bodied gentlemen, who could have easily been mistaken for for Lisa's brothers. They were mostly tall and bespectacled, three wielded expensive guitars, one fiddled with a keyboard and the drummer did what drummers do best and he did this very well. Lisa strummed her guitar lightly before grinning back at the boys. They looked ready to burn. They played like they were running out of chances. The raucous show was a pleasant contrast to Car Tape's slinky, satin-soft, sad songs. At one point, the quiet girl with a credit card sang about the boy that radiates that charm and somewhere Steven Patrick Morrissey sighed. Towards the close of her dazzling performance, Lisa sang Charlie Rich's We Love Each Other, and I'm telling you, there was only one place that you would have rather wanted to be and that was inside her microphone.
Reviews for As Far As Life Goes
"Lisa Miller has the kind of voice that sends men into the forest for bonding camps to kill animals, drink beer, and attempt to reclaim their masculinity...."
Rave
"If Lisa Miller's only assett was a voice that recalls the more erotic apllications of honey, she'd be a treasure in Melbourne's neo-country vault. Oh yeah, she's also one of our most insightful new songwriters, balancing devastating vulnerability with the kind of no-shit savvy that can make you laugh - out loud and nervously. Lisa Miller is the definitive quiet one you have to watch." 4 stars.
Rolling Stone
"She shifts from pop to rock and back to country without a hitch - and with depth of feeling dripping from every note."
Sunday Herald Sun
"There's not a bad track on the album. And vocally, she's a revelation. One minute sweet and vulnerable, the next feisty and direct."
In-Press
Following her superb debut, Miller continues to redefine country-pop."
The Advertiser
"Lisa Miller's first album was a promise, her second is the confirmation: this countrified Melbourne singer-songwriter is already a national treasure of the Tim Rogers/Paul Kelly calibre.... her economy of expression and pure emotional insights are hitched to the sly wit and subtle melodic sense of a veteran."
West Australian
"Miller stakes her claim as one of the country's best, and most under-appreciated songwriters. If Kasey Chambers recent album The Captain has had punters finally relieved they've found an Australian country album they can listen to without wincing, then Lisa Miller's latest CD should have them in raptures. As Far As A Life Goes is a true tour de force of clever, emotionally powerful songwriting and faultless musicianship."
Addicted To Noise
"Her songs bristle with tales of experience and compassion. Full of wisdom, wit and a wry sense of humour, she disarms bitterness and revenge with delightful ease."
Daily Examiner
"Even if posessing a voice warm and rich enough to melt butter was where Lisa Miller's talent started and stopped she'd be worth a listen. But the fact that Miller's proficiency extends to first rate, affecting songwriting (with a perfect balance between earnestness and wry humour) makes her one of this country's finest singer/songwriters."
In-Press
"...conveys a casual, but arrogant and assured toughness which many other musicians can only achieve with bluster and swearing."
Woroni
"Melbourne's Lisa Miller deserves greatness. She's one hell of a vocalist, a clever songwriter and a woman of impeccable musical taste."
Cairns Post
"...the full scale of Lisa Miller's songwriting becomes apparent. Add to that a voice that can swith from a tough Chrissie Hynde sneer to a tender Lucinda Williams whisper, and you've got a quite brilliant album."
Rave
"Driven by a clean, sweet tone and strident voice, this album drips quality." 8/10
Juice
"Lisa Miller's first album 'Quiet Girl With A Credit Card' received such rave reviews that this second album has been eagerly anticipated. It does not disappoint - eleven new songs bursting with experience, wisdom and a wry sense of humour."
Scene
"The thing that strikes you immediately when you hear Miller's voice is the emotion she puts into her songs. That, in turn, transforms her music into very powerful experiences."
Sunday Times
"An album without a weak link and at least five singles to pick from. This is the performance of an artist totally in control of her medium. The sound is exactly right for the song, her voice carrying that cutesy/dumb resignation of pop, charged with a lyric of deadly intent."
The Age
"There's nothing more rewarding than discovering an artist that knocks you off your feet. For this writer, Lisa Miller is one such artist."
Time Off
"Miller doesn't let songs come off the cuff, floating on subconcious images/desires/images, she clearly spells out just what she's saying, who she's saying it to, and what it all means."
Beat Magazine (Album Of The Week)
"...the release of her impressive debut put her name into people's lists of great Australian songwriters. Miller's new album is more evidence of her ability to document the heart's big issues in the space of a pop song."
Beat
"Miller's 1996 debut announced the arrival of a major talent. As Far As A Life Goes is a compelling, if unsettling, follow-up. From the knowing irony in the opening track, to the limits alluded to in the title track, Miller uncompromisingly examines romantic illusions." 4 Stars.
Sunday Age
"Miller's stunning new album, As far As A Life Goes, is full of sad songs that make you feel good."
The Age EG