One Too Many Mornings - Siobhan Miller
Our next LCM featured artist Siobhan Miller is releasing her highly anticipated second solo album 'Strata' on the 24th February. The release will be previewed at a headline show at Glasgow’s Celtic Connections festival, in the city’s Mitchell Theatre on January 26, ahead of a UK tour starting in The Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh, on the album’s release date. As a great sample of the album our LCM #TrackOfTheDay is her wonderful new single 'One Too Many Mornings', a Dylan classic.
Siobhan's London tour date will be at the Slaughtered Lamb on the 28th February.
Following her 2014 debut, 'Flight of Time', 'Strata' consists of eleven songs, from a variety of sources, that Siobahn grew up listening to and performing in her youth. All newly arranged and now recorded by her for the first time, the material reflects on her musical upbringing whilst forging her own path forward. Her vocal performances sit atop the all-star talents of some of Scotland’s finest musicians, including Kris Drever and Aidan O’Rourke of Lau and Admiral Fallow frontman Louis Abbott.
Strata’s carefully chosen material shows the many influences on Siobhan's formative musical years and her personal connection to each of the songs lies at the heart of this album, with the story behind each song equally as important as the song itself. Songs passed down by Scotland’s source and revival singers - such as The Unquiet Grave and False, False - sit alongside titles from contemporary writers that she grew up listening to, including Bob Dylan’s 'One Too Many Mornings' and 'Pound a Week Rise', penned by Ed Pickford.
It would be true to say that the album, and its selection process, is the culmination and an illustration of Siobhan’s musical journey to date. Whilst she has long been keen to record these songs, so too does the album fulfil a long held desire to pay tribute to Sheila Stewart, Dick Gaughan, Gordeanna McCulloch, Rod Paterson and her father, Brian Miller, by continuing to share the songs they have passed on to her. The album also features guest appearances from living legend Phil Cunningham, who performs on two tracks - including the much-loved 'The Ramblin Rover', written by his former Silly Wizard bandmate, the late great Andy M. Stewart.
With such a deeply personal song selection, a strong desire throughout the recording process was to stay true to the songs and their stories whilst retaining a contemporary edge. As such, the studio sessions - recorded in Glasgow, with producer Euan Burton at the helm - consist of live performances and arrangements, with Siobhan and her band recording complete takes together in the studio. By forgoing modern conventions, such as click tracks and layering, this allowed her to perform the material in as natural an environment as possible, resulting in an album that captures Siobhan in her element.