Several country artists have emerged from Appalachia in recent years to great acclaim. Acts like Tyler Childers, Logan Halstead, Cole Chaney, and Drayton Farley, as well as a handful of bluegrass-adjacent acts, are on that list. However, very few approach the originality or songwriting prowess of John R. Miller. His latest album, Heat Comes Down perfectly showcases why Miller stands out among his Appalachian counterparts.
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Longtime listeners of Miller’s work will find comfortable similarities between Heat Comes Down and his previous outings such as Depreciated and The Trouble You Find. His fingerpicking as well as his songwriting are just as sharp as ever. However, this record is a little more personal than his previous releases.
Miller discussed the album’s concept in a statement earlier this year when he announced its impending release. The Heat Comes Down is a look into the West Virginia native’s anxiety. “Whenever I’ve got a lot of thoughts bouncing around my head, alchemizing that energy into something creative helps take the gravity out of them and quiets them down,” he revealed.
It seems that Miller alchemized his anxiety and overthinking into a stellar album. “For me, this album is largely about anxiety in many forms: the things that cause it, what it causes in turn, and the moments of clarity in between,” he said.
Miller went on to add that the songs on the album seem like they’re trying to answer the questions that he has been asking himself.
Fans heard nearly half of the 11-song collection before today. Miller released four singles ahead of the release of the album. “Nobody Has to Know Your Mind,” “Ditcher,” “Conspiracies, Cults, & UFOs,” and “Basements” were good indications of the direction the “Faustina” singer wanted to take in his most recent release.
Fans of Miller’s previous work or authentic, vulnerable, and poetic songwriting will enjoy this record.
The Heat Comes Down Track List
- “Nobody Has to Know Your Mind”
- “Insomnia Blues”
- “Harpers Ferry Moon”
- “Ditcher”
- “Crumbling Pie”
- “Smokestacks on the Skyline”
- “Summer Lens”
- “Conspiracies, Cults, & UFOs”
- “Basements”
- “Dollar Store Tents”
- “Press On”
Photo by David McClister
