Kristen Miller
Strange Little Valentine
© 2006 Kristen Miller (634479232602)
CD IN STOCK. ORDER NOW. Will ship immediately.
SPECIAL: 10% discount if you buy more than one copy of it today!
An entrancing blend of multi-layered cello, percussion, world rhythms, and spoken word, with an exotic, eastern flavor.
tracks
try this
albums you will love
genres you will love
By Location
Recommended if you like ...
notes
Cellist/singer/songwriter Kristen Miller redefines the cello in the tradition of folk, rock, and world music. Her sophomore CD Strange Little Valentine (Cellobrew , 2006) layers earthy cello timbres with percussion, spoken word, and singing to create a tapestry of lush harmonies, driving rhythm, and deep melodic contour. Billboard writer Bobby Borg calls her music “hauntingly, charmingly, brilliant.” The disc features Scott Kessel of The Daisy Mayhem on percussion. Along with original spoken word and instrumental pieces, Strange Little Valentine also includes a quirky rendition of Johnny Cash’s Ring of Fire.
Named 2004 Female Artist of the Year by Jam Magazine, Kristen was also a finalist for Best Instrumental Artist. Her debut CD, Later That Day (Cellobrew, 2003), charted on college and community radio across North America, spending a year at #2 on AOL/Netscape Radio’s New Acoustic Top 25. Trained in both classical and world music, Kristen holds two music degrees and was the winner of the Zara Nelsova Cellist Award. Kristen has performed as the opening act for Turtle Island String Quartet and as a guest artist at the New Directions Cello Festival. Kristen can be found at www.cellobrew.com
reviews
Please log in to review this album.
A stunning sophomore effort!
author: Jon Nolan (The Wire)Strange Little Valentine is a beautiful, nuanced collection of rich bowed, plucked and strummed cello, breathy spoken word lyrics and percussion.
An endlessly talented artist worthy of some national attention.
author: Jamie Perkins (Spotlight)Miller lulls you to sleep beneath the trees, and then takes you across India with a backpack. She even turns Johnny Cash's immortal Ring of Fire" into a slinky, snaky alternative rock arrangement, simultaneously highlighting the song's dark thematic undercurrent and showing Miller's vast potential should she ever choose to go a more conventional pop route. As Miller grows and comes into her own as a composer and arranger, she also emerges as an endlessly talented artist worthy of some national attention.
new age/ jazzy, cello instrumentals, soulful
author: Steve ClarkI heard a cut of this off of public radio. I love the new age/ jazzed up cello instrumentals. Lovely riffs/ melody. I think most of it is soulful. She adds poetry with some of her songs, which I haven't decided whether I like or not. This CD has a Middle East flavor. Her style reminds me some of Andreas Vollenweider, another of my favorites.