REVIEW: Misty Miller @London Moth Club

rattlemag
May 2, 2016
3 min read

Rarely do you find an artist who can combine the spirit of total progression with resonating approbation for the vintage heart of rock and roll.

Finally home from what has been a loaded but nonetheless relished tour, is a band with a front woman who does exactly that. Misty Miller and co are taking to the sparkling stage of London's aggressively old school Moth Club, tucked away in an unassuming back road of Hackney. As with most small venues, it'd be a mistake to judge it by its facade; the Moth has hosted many nights of great entertainment, and tonights fare is far from the exception.

Upon initial audio inspection you could very well place Misty Miller somewhere in between the full-toned sounds of Chrissie Hynde and the soprano rhapsodic of Kathleen Hanna, complete with the enlivening tinge of feminist ideal and wordless determination to be her own giant among the prohibitory rules of old. The truth be told, Miller is amongst a new grade of trailblazers, forefront in deconstructing the confines of assigned genres; she reads like a mood-board of her own love for the virtue of song and story-telling.

A young master of combining unapologetic sting with the honey of melody and of undressing the world we live in with unflinching taste, listening to her records is certainly a treat. However, when she stands in the spotlight her strength is fully fleshed. She brings the music alive in a way that proves though the likes of itunes may try, studio produce will never replace the ageless merit of real time performance. And there is no part of vocal stagecraft that Miller can not touch.

The opening number is the irony laced jaunt 'Happy', one of the power singles from her latest record and the namesake of the tour 'The Whole Family is Worried'. Wimbolden's sweetheart of anti-glamour launches without hitch from teeth-baring grunge accompanied by high-octane drums, to the role of the sullen romantic, spinning out moody indie guitar. As though not to be underestimated or restrained, she peppers her set with chances to break out her adept and husky inner singbird, following through with sharpened rock ballads that lament the flint of youth and reality. This is crystalline and fully evident in her heartbreaking and almost ethereal rendition of a Miller original 'The Devil', which boasts guitar and isolated vocals that effortlessly raise reflective goosebumps and gently hijack your attention.

Other highlights include 'Lonesome Cowboy' a song written by Miller at 17, a number that hints at country and has a vague Stereophonics feel to it. Also the subtle 'Sugar To Me', a seductive soft rock number with an audible nod to the vein of fellow Londoner's 'Wolf Alice'. Not to be ignored, 'Taxi Cab', 'Girlfriend' and the encore number 'Next To You' are clear crowd favourites and rouse sensation throughout the entire room, which is still full to capacity despite it being a Monday night.

She plays alongside deceptively laid back guitarist Tom Shelton, the personable crowd oriented Charlie Elliot who is commanding the bass line, and drummer Aaron Graham, who is a stand out source of vital vim and endurance playing well above his paygrade.

The music is professionally executed but with so little ego that the group manages to make it look like a happy and thoroughly delightful accident. If this performance is anything to go by then Misty Miller is undoubtedly shedding the weight class of smaller club settings and setting sail for much larger horizons. She puts on a fully rounded performance that music fans of all creed could find sustenance in - grab a piece while you still can!

Misty Miller is signed with Relentless Records and you can find out more about her in our upcoming interview.

Misty Millers official Website is www.mistymiller.com.