Chris Mills: The Wall to Wall Sessions Review

There has been a bit of a mounting theme with my reviews, including Chris Mills' new release The Wall to Wall Sessions. That is, it seems that I don't really like to review anything but country-laced, increasingly heavily orchestrated, alternative pop/rock/indie. There has been an abundance of pedal steel guitar, cello/french horn, and piano in the material I have reviewed. Make no mistakes, RFT (aka: myself) likes to rock with the best of 'em. I'm all about rockin'. I'm the rockin'est. All that aside, I'm doing it again, and that's my prerogative.

Chris Mills, AKA: the guitarist for the Fruit Bats, is an alt-country rocker who hails from the Chicago indie scene, following in the footsteps of Americana/REM-punk legends Uncle Tupelo.

For his fourth release, The Wall to Wall Sessions, it would seem Mills is attempting to go for the gold, as a promotional copy has landed in my hands (indicating a massive college promotion barrage).

The credited 17-piece "Chicago indie rock big band" lends to the rock-opus marketing of The Wall to Wall Sessions. The 'orchestra' was recorded live, to 2-track tape.

With this release, Mills says he's going for

“Something like the Phil Spector sound I’ve always loved, but combined with the imagery of bands like Neutral Milk Hotel or the Flaming Lips.”

And that really sums it up. In addition to bass, guitar, and drums, arranger David Nagler orchestrates vibraphone, glockenspiel, tambourine, spoons, trombone, viola, trumpet (played by Dave Max Crawford of The Sea and Cake), pedal steel guitar, banjo, tenor sax, baritone sax, flute, cello, piano, alto sax, clarinet, and oboe. Nora O'Conner of the New Pornographers provides backing vocals, although the indie-rock pedigree of the supporting band goes on and on. There are 25 musicians credited in the liner notes.

So, that's all pretty daunting. The Chris Mills Band makes Matt Pond PA look like the Ramones by comparison. In the post-Illinoise indie world, it seems like now is the best time for this album as any.

The Wall to Wall Sessions is a crescendo. It takes a lot of time to build up, and thus, the first track didn't really blow me away on the first listen. First impressions are something I always reflect on, and I've found that the music I come to really enjoy, I don't really like the first time. Upon more critical listening, I noticed things that I really dig, musically.

WtWS successfully blends lots of different types of music. Not allowing itself to be stuck to one category, it always leans on a pop/country foundation, but expresses itself through genres and decades, jumping from alternative, big band, Dixie (complete with the aforementioned spoons), classical, folk, bebop, and classic rock. These transitions are executed very adeptly, and do not detract from the listening experience.

This is a rather small point, but I have a soft spot for dry, crisp drumming, mostly so on the first few tracks. I don't know what kind of post-production was done, but the drums definitely don't sound like they were recorded in an orchestra pit. I love me some dry drums.

So with all of these points being scored with me, how can WtWS go wrong? Well, it can't. This is a really, really, really good album. The orchestra arrangements, while sometimes dangerously sauntering on the cheesy side, mostly accomplish what it seems they were intended to: to contribute to the 'wall of sound' and to add a timeless quality to the music. The lyrics are both world-weary and humorous.

Each track perfectly leads into the next. Mills pushes the tempo and then slows it back down, sometimes in the same song. Take note, singer/songwriters. This is how you make an album. In the orchestrated folk-flavored hipster kingdom, Chris Mills gives Sufjan a run for his crown.

PS: I almost went the entire article without mentioning Wilco.

Chris Mills tour dates (Ohio shows in a few days!)

Chris Mills - Chris Mills is Living the Dream.mp3

Chris Mills - You are My Favorite Song.mp3