Dean Miller
Platinum

(Koch)

First Appeared in The Music Box, January 2006, Volume 13, #1

Written by T.J. Simon

Dean Miller is the son of Roger "King of the Road" Miller, and, as such, he has some pretty big boots to fill. Fortunately, on his recent, self-produced effort Platinum, the younger Miller chose his own musical path rather than simply walking in the footsteps of his father. Indeed, the largely enjoyable outing features 11 better-than-average tracks that not only showcase his radio-friendly approach to songwriting but also should please country fans with an ear for good lyrics.

The first half of Platinum is full of relatively nondescript stuff, but Miller dresses up even his average material with some smart wordplay, particularly on Ready for the Rain and the disc’s opener Hard Love. It’s in the album’s second act, however, that Miller really shines, beginning with the brilliant I’ve Been a Long Time Leaving, which incorporates a boogie-woogie groove with a staccato, tongue-twisting vocal delivery. Right Now is another late-blooming winner about seizing the day, and the blue collar anthem Yes Man recalls some of The Fabulous Thunderbirds’ finest moments. Music Executive, the outing’s sarcastically humorous closer, is a scathing indictment of the industry from a guy who has been living with it since the day he was born. Odds are that Dean Miller will never reach the iconic heights of his father, but as long as he keeps making records as good as Platinum’s second half, he should have no trouble carving out his own identity in the country music world.

Platinum is available from Barnes & Noble.
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Ratings

1 Star: Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!

Copyright © 2006 The Music Box