Miles has fashioned an engaging record, full of grit and authenticity, where the austere gravity of the songs keeps the listener involved. - Whatzup Magazine

12 MP3 Songs
FOLK: Modern Folk, POP: Folky Pop



Details:
Miles possesses a commanding set of vocal cords; not surprisingly, his voice is front and center throughout BEAR. Strong vocalists like Grant Lee Phillips (Grant Lee Buffalo) and Son Volts Jay Farrar come to mind. The sparse musical settings evoke lonesome landscapes, populated mostly by dusky acoustic guitars and restrained drums. The songwriting here is solid and consistent. Miles has fashioned an engaging record, full of grit and authenticity, where the austere gravity of the songs keeps the listener involved. - Whatzup Magazine

Apart from some excellent songs, Lee's great strength is his voice; half Layne Staley growl, half Neil Diamond melodrama, which he couples with a sharp instinct towards presenting his work in as uncluttered a fashion as possible. There are signs here that Miles could develop into a genuinely significant songwriter, with cracking tracks like "My Protector My Punisher", "Canned and Jarred", "Mrs. James" and "Mama They Made Me Beg" leading the line. (Bear) is a very good, occasionally great collection of taut, stripped down numbers. - Diskant.net

Colorful, emotional, and inspired his lyrics have always been a cut above the rest. Here (So Much Pain So Much Sorrow) it is evident that Miles writing talent has truly come full circle. - Tribtown.com

Although Miles also has become an ardent follower of the modernist post-folk music of Will Oldham, Dylan is at the core of Miles' music. The early Dylan is consistently apparent in Miles' sound. - South Bend Tribune

Now, though, I have to start a new list and I am placing on that list, at the very top, Lee Miles, whose style is very distinctive and I, for one, am always glad to have something new to go enjoy in local music. - FortWayneMusic.com