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Six Mile Grove Million Birds Review by Gary Hill There are a couple ways you can stand out as an artist. One of them is to do something that's very different from anything anyone else has done. The other thing is to do the same kind of things other do, but do it so much better than everyone else that you stand alone. This act tries for that second route, and doesn't quite make it. Don't get me wrong, the music here is solid, and there are some real shining moments. It's just that there are so many other acts doing this same kind of roots based rock that you really have to excel to stand apart from the crowd. It's a nearly impossible task, so it should be no shock that these guys fall short in that regard. So, if you look beyond that point and just put the disc on, it's entertaining and a fun ride. Just don't expect anything Earth-shattering or deeply original. I doubt these guys set out for either one of those things. I'm guessing their goal was to entertain, and they pull that off with style. This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) in Music Street Journal: 2019 Volume 2. More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2019.

Track by Track Review

Million Birds There is a lot of country rock in the vocal delivery here. The guitar sound, though, brings more of an alternative rock vibe. There is a deep sense of Americana in this roots based sound. The tune is a slow moving and effective one.

Patrol Cars I'm reminded to a large degree of the electric side of Bob Dylan on this tune. It's dramatic and powerful. It has some definite alternative rock in the mix, too, though. This is meaty, and the guitar solo is really tasty. The whistling bit at the end is a nice touch.

Shame On Us Much more of a hard rocking, somewhat mean sounding piece, I really love the guitar soloing further down the road. This is a smoking hot alternative rocker that is among my favorites on this set.

Wage A War Folk rock is the central theme here. This is hard-edged and alternative in flavor, but the core of folk music is really the concept of the song. I would consider Dylan a reference point on this piece, too.

Early Morning Rain I like the country elements that fill so much of this track. It's an effective number that is also folk rock oriented. This lacks the hard rocking crunch of some of the rest, but it's definitely not a ballad.

Not My Fault This number has plenty of southern styling in the mix, too. I can hear hints of things like Tom Petty, too. This is an energized rocker that's effective.

Shot In The Arm There is a bit of a raw blues rock element here. I can make out hints of grunge here. This has a lot of old-school garage band sound.

The Radio Another alternative rocker with a lot of roots music built into it, this has some catchy hooks. It's a bit of a "more of the same" kind of approach, but it definitely has some charms.

Money Doesn't Matter The songwriting on this is effective. The cut is another slab of country-tinged mainstream rock music. I dig the guitar fills on this.

Damned If I Do This cut is the mellowest thing here. It is packed full of country and Americana elements. It brings some definite variety and is one of the highlights of the set. It has a lot of emotion and style packed into it.

Goodbye To The Loneliness The rock and roll meets country element on this cut works really well. This is another highlight of the set. It has some cool guitar picking and some great hooks.

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