hissyfit: In Cassidy's Care Reviews

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Tuesday, 26 November 2013

In Cassidy's Care: HiFi News: 'Albums of the Year'

'In Cassidy's Care' has received another 'Best of the Year' vote.
Every audiophile's bible, 'The HiFi News' has given us a 95% rating and deemed the album one of the best of 2013.

Monday, 30 September 2013

In Cassidy's Care: Reviews: Snippets

BUY 'IN CASSIDY'S CARE' HERE

“Masterpieces of subtlety and observation clothed in sumptuous, lush melodies. This is one of the great records of 2013. Buy it and fall in love.” **** R2

“Another little masterpiece has been born. Truly outstanding. Thoughtful, intelligent, graceful and deeply moving music, with every rerun being as joyous as the first.” 9/10 AmericanaUK

“Jones and Cliffe make a formidable pair; crafting beautifully adult, thoughtful and melodic music where Jones' poetic lyrics are placed within gently memorable tunes and lovingly crafted arrangments.” Elsewhere NZ

“Far and away the most unfairly unsung musical wizards ever to emerge from this sceptered isle. Big on memorable tunes wrapped around honest-to-goodness emotionally involving lyrics."
Rating 95% ‘Album Choice’ HiFi News

"Regret, always tempered by tenderness, washes through the carefully crafted, layered music and the precise words. You can't help but think of the story of Miracle Mile, critically feted but often with a phrase such as "the best band you've never heard of" tagged to their glowing reviews." Vapour Trails

“Tumblingly lovely; rather like being gently massaged by feathers.” NetRhythms

“A triumph of lyricism. Dream pop with the grace of a butterfly. Touching, sincere, sensual, deep, brilliant, elegant and devoid of hyperbole, a triumph of noble songwriting and seldom reached perfection. If you only buy one disc this year, make it this one.” Onda Rock (Album of the Month)

“The music and its rich texture is simply stunning. Quite honestly, I have not been so moved by an album for a long time “ 4.5 out of 5 Let’s Get Ready to Rock

“A record of great heart. The duo orchestrate intensely personal emotions that you’ve possibly never endured. It is a wonderful thing indeed.” Roots and Branches

“An almost perfect album.” Suono.it

Sunday, 29 September 2013

In Cassidy's Care: Reviews: R2: Jeremy Searle

MIRACLE MILE
****
In Cassidy's Care

The latest outing from perfect-pop purveyors Miracle Mile is actually a concept album. Fortunately the dragon, starship, wizard and damsel count is zero, as the narrative arc charts a relationship from beginning to end and beyond. It's not an original idea but it's brilliantly executed. Miracle Mile have been masters of intelligent, thoughtful, literate pop for many years and this is no different.
The songs are masterpieces of subtlety and observation clothed in sumptuous, lush melodies. There's genuine depth to the music and, far from just being an observer, the listener is fully engaged in the fate of the characters while, all the while, humming the irresistible tunes. Trevor Jones's vocals capture the anguish hope and despair of the protagonists while the music, rather than glossing over the surface, buoys up the words and enhances them. There's no particular song to single out - all would be highlights on lesser works.
'Underrated' is a word used of people who are anything but (see Richard Thompson). Miracle Mile are not only underrated, they're so far under the radar they're practically submerged and they deserve better.
This is one of the great records of 2013. Buy it and fall in love.

Jeremy Searle

Thursday, 1 August 2013

In Cassidy's Care: Reviews: Album of the Month: Onda Rock

This review just in from Italy's Onda Rock.
Album of the Month and an 8.5 rating says they like it.
Please read Gianfranco Marmoro's review here.
Hit the translation button if needs be...

Wednesday, 31 July 2013

In Cassidy's Care: Reviews: Roots and Branches

They're coming thick and fast!
This review is from Midlands' journalist and DJ Steve Morris for Roots and Branches.
Click here to read the review.

In Cassidy's Care: Reviews: Vapour Trails

Another review of 'In Cassidy's Care'.
This time from the excellent Vapour Trails Blog.
Click here to read.

Tuesday, 30 July 2013

In Cassidy's Care: Reviews: NetRhythms

Here's a fresh review of 'In Cassidy's Care'.
This one from Mike Davies for NetRhythms.
Thanks Mike...
Click here to read it...

Sunday, 30 June 2013

'In Cassidy's Care': Friends of Miracle Mile Respond

As we await the official release of the album (July 22), some folk have ordered pre release copies.

You can buy the album here.

We hope that you can do an Amazon review for us after July 22.

They really do help generate sales.

Here are a few snippets from those 'Friends of Miracle Mile':

- Listening now, ecstatically. F*cking BRILLIANT!!!

Played it five times in a row and still playing it...

It's great stuff... Current fav’ is ‘Sweet Nothing’ but it's hard to choose the pick of the bunch. Max

- Got my copy this morning and it's just brilliant; Miracle Mile's best music to date. It is a gorgeous album with words and melodies to die for… an astonishing piece of music. Nick

- It arrived this morning. It’s like you've never been away. Wonderful. Phil

- In the last months I had some arterial pressure problems. I have put on ‘In Cassidy's Care’ and there was a miracle! I have measured my pressure listening your music and by a miracle my pressure was in the RIGHT range already after the first track! Now I guess to need to listen your cd all the time... Ciao e graze! Carmine

- Got it! Jaw dropping as usual for you guys! Massimo

- Great news! In Cassidy's Care arrived today. Played it through 3 times... classic Miracle Mile!!! Congrats & thanks Trev & Marcus - She's a real beauty! Toronto Tim

- You never disappoint. I think it's because you remain faithful to the idea that the song's the thing, and that stylistic genres are ultimately, not important. You just seem to do what you do, and if you and Marcus were stranded on a desert island you'd make a xylophone out of coconut shells and write songs on that. Johnny

- You did a great job, very intense, authentic, filled with beautiful ideas and catching musical lines, with extremely fascinating lyrics. And your singing is beautiful and sincere as well. This is the very result of a long unstressed and passionate work, that's what I feel. Congratulations my friend, I'm sure (and I wish) this CD will leave a deep mark! Francesco

- I’ve spend some more time with ICC - and musically each song quickly develops into something familiar. Creeping in as if they have always been there but a little different. Any human heart seems to me - at least for the moment - to be the main song. The one the other songs lyrically revolve around.

I like your way with words (I love you, goodbye) and it`s especially great when you get very specific and concrete ie: park bench - brush teeth - prints on the windowpane and, of course, the song with the carpet with it`s fibers/patterns.

And the way you now include the spoken words in a song instead of seperate them - makes sense to me. Folmer

- Always amazed at how the quality of music remains at such an amazing quality album after album. I don't purchase CD anymore between Rhapsody and Spotify, but if one purchases one CD a year, it should be a Miracle Mile CD.

Thanks again for years of brilliant music. Alan

Tuesday, 25 June 2013

'In Cassidy's Care': Reviews: HiFi News

Blimey!
Thanks to Johnny Black for this great review.
It's in the August edition of HiFi News.
We are their monthly 'Album Choice', kudos indeed, as the mag is a music industry bible...

Monday, 24 June 2013

In Cassidy's Care: Reviews: Elsewhere

Here's a lovely review of 'In Cassidy's Care' by Graham Reid, one of New Zealand's finest.
Graham is a respected Kiwi journalist who once wrote for the Auckland Herald and now runs a fine arts site 'Elsewhere'.
Read his review here.

Friday, 17 May 2013

In Cassidy's Care: Reviews: Let's Get Ready to Rock

Please click here to read Jason Ritchie's review of 'In Cassidy's Care' for 'Let's Get Ready to Rock'.

Thursday, 9 May 2013

In Cassidy's Care: Reviews: americanaUK

The first review of 'In Cassidy's Care' is in.
Please click here to read Jeremy Searle's review for americanaUK.

‘Jones’ is Trevor Jones; principle songwriter with the critically acclaimed duo Miracle Mile, where he works alongside collaborator, arranger and musical partner Marcus Cliffe. Together they have produced nine albums, the latest of which was 2012’s ‘In Cassidy’s Care’, rated ‘Album of the Month’ by HiFi News, with respected journalist Johnny Black noting that Miracle Mile were “far and away the most unfairly unsung musical wizards ever to emerge from this sceptered isle. Big on memorable tunes wrapped around honest-to-goodness emotionally involving lyrics.”

Trevor Jones has also previously produced four solo albums: ‘Hopeland’ (2009), ‘Keepers’, (2010), ‘To the Bone’ (2014) and ‘Happy Blue’ (2016). Co-produced again with Marcus Cliffe, ‘Carver’s Law is another triumph of intimacy.
Previous critical acclaim for Trevor Jones:

“Gorgeous, as ever. Trevor Jones finds the poetry in real life; gently beautiful and genuinely moving. You may cry.” The Sunday Times

“Masterpieces of subtlety and observation clothed in sumptuous, lush melodies.” R2

“Jones is in a class of one. Near-perfect explorations of the human heart. The beauty on offer here is enough to make you weep. It did me.” Americana UK

“Achingly tender.” Folk Radio UK

“Intellectually as well as emotionally engaging.” MOJO

"Meticulously orchestrated, careful and complex, this is canny songwriting leavened by bona fide humanity." Q

“Moves you to tears and refreshes the soul. Scintillating.” Maverick

"Gentle enchantment. The loveliest melodies you've ever heard.” Uncut

“Classic pop songwriting, gorgeously realised. Jones has compiled possibly the finest catalogue of adult pop. Gently beautiful and genuinely moving” The Times

Miracle Mile: A User's Guide by Johnny Black

Despite being based in a home studio in a rural backwater on the outskirts of West London, Miracle Mile chose to name themselves after a fictional gold rush main street half a world away where, according to adventure yarn spinner Jack London, ragged 49ers would blow their hard-won nuggets on booze and broads.
They apply a similarly unorthodox approach to their career in general. The band’s core duo of singer/guitarist Trevor Jones and multi-instrumentalist/arranger Marcus Cliffe have been relentless in their pursuit of the perfect song. Not the fastest, the gnarliest or the loudest, not even the most instantly commercial, but the song whose melody, lyrics, arrangement, performance and spirit might stand the test of time, giving pleasure to listeners not just for years but centuries.
They’d be the first to admit they haven’t yet found that perfect song and maybe never will, but I’d argue that their albums — the documentary evidence of that search — deserve a place alongside the best work of time-tested tunesmiths as elevated as Randy Newman, Elvis Costello or Tom Waits.

Marcus Cliffe wasn’t yet on board when the first album, Bicycle Thieves, arrived in 1997 but already it was evident that frontman Jones didn’t fit in with the prevailing mode. There was no rage, bitterness or self-loathing in his songs and nothing at all turned up to eleven. Instead, he offered meticulously orchestrated slices of ordinary human life, transforming the mundane into the marvellous with carefully crafted lyrics sincerely delivered. Even here, though, the hypnotic sample-based "Recycletwo" revealed a willingness to experiment that marked Jones out as more than just a pop craftsman in the vein of Crowded House or Aztec Camera.

What had started essentially as a recording project had become a five-piece live band by the time the follow-up, Candids, was released in 1998. Loaded with nagging guitar hooks and dynamic vocal interplay, it included one particularly affecting piece, "Small Ad," which featured just one line of lyric, the heart-rending couplet, "Baby’s shoes, never used." With those four words, Jones conjured up a yawning abyss of grief that other writers might struggle to evoke in an entire album.

Jones quickly realised that live performance was not his forte and retired to the womb of the studio for 1999’s third album, Slow Fade, which also saw the birth of the partnership that would lift Miracle Mile higher still above the norm. Marcus Cliffe, in demand as a player for Steve Earle, Emmylou Harris, Daniel Lanois, Mark Knopfler and others, was drafted in on upright bass.
Immediately the music took a more intimate turn, with Jones exploring the little things that illuminate the big things. Almost every song offers up at least one unforgettable line, like "I'd rather be ashes than dust" in "Everybody Loved You," or the concept of filling the void left by his loss of faith "with despair and metalware" in "Starwatching."
Slow Fade was further enhanced by the delicately filigreed swirls and swoops of England’s finest steel guitar maestro, B.J. Cole, whose style sat so well with Jones and Cliffe that he has become virtually a full-time member of the band.

And then, out of nowhere, catastrophe struck. Trevor Jones’ beloved sister died in tragic circumstances. It’s typical of the man that, rather than wallowing in his grief as he had every right to do, he dealt with his loss in the quiet, honest dignity of "Sister Song," the achingly lovely tribute that concludes the fourth album, Alaska. It can’t have been coincidence that the album, despite its meltingly beautiful musical landscape, was named for one of the coldest places on earth.

By the time of Stories We Could Tell in 2004, Miracle Mile were drawing critical plaudits in every significant British magazine and newspaper, along with comparisons to such pop pluperfectionists as Prefab Sprout and the Blue Nile. Critics were noting that Miracle Mile was fast becoming a repository of timelessly romantic music fueled by the same shamelessly emotional human concerns that inspired the great standards. More than this, it was being noticed that while most bands go into decline after two or three albums, Miracle Mile were getting better, perhaps because they’d avoided the trap of trying to be contemporary, and had no need to be more outrageous than the competition, largely because they didn’t see music as a competitor sport.

The sixth album, Glow, showed up in 2005 and found Jones and Cliffe further expanding their musical palette mixing Celtic folksiness with slow, semi-industrial percussion on the inspirational "An Average Sadness," blending Badalamenti guitars with Bacharach horns on "What Kate Did Next," and opening "Strange Sympathy" with a beautifully synthesised string orchestration before letting the song melt seamlessly into a laid-back country-rock rumination on the gap between aspiration and acquisition. Glow was also their most lavishly packaged disc, gorgeously presented at no small cost to themselves.

Album No. 7, Limbo, offered fifteen songs overflowing with sensitively wrought melodies and heart-fluttering lyricism. If it’s not a contradiction in terms, Limbo was even more quietly passionate than usual, deliciously understated and, at times, devastatingly tear-jerking.

‘Cassidy’s Care’ followed in 2012 and received similar critical acclaim.
Miracle Mile may just be too concerned with timeless quality for their own short-term commercial good. They’ll never sink a fang into the jugular when they can plant a whisper of a kiss on that sensitive spot at the nape of the neck and set off a tiny ripple that will, in the fullness of time, explode in the heart. I, for one, wouldn’t want it any other way.
Johnny Black

“Trevor Jones finds the poetry in real life; Marcus Cliffe anchors it in the sweetest pop. Gorgeous as ever. You may cry.”
Sunday Times

"Gentle enchantment. The loveliest melodies you've ever heard."
UNCUT

“Gorgeous melodies, hooks galore, intelligent lyrics that demand and repay careful listening, beautifully produced instrumentation, and an overall effect that combines poignancy and joy in equal measure. Music and words come together in a state as close to perfection as makes no difference, and leaves you with a delicious ache that makes you hug yourself with the sheer overwhelming joy of hearing such wonderful music. The beauty on offer here is enough to make you weep. It did me."
Americana UK

“A little oasis illuminated by musical creativity, glimpsed like a lovely mirage. Intelligent tunefulness that doesn’t kowtow to passing trends has always been as rare as fish fingernails, but it’s here.” Mojo

“Classic pop songwriting, gorgeously realised” The Times

“Moves you to tears and refreshes the soul. Scintillating.”
Maverick

“A tender sadness. Songs that have universal resonance.”
Netrhythms

"Trevor Jones has produced a gorgeous pop album that few will hear — unless there’s justice in the world.’ The Wall Street Journal

“Jones has compiled possibly the finest catalogue of adult pop. Gently beautiful and genuinely moving”
The Sunday Times