Blue Pony
| Blue Pony | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1997 | |||
| Length | 46:07 | |||
| Label | HighTone[1] | |||
| Producer | Julie Miller, Buddy Miller | |||
| Julie Miller chronology | ||||
| ||||
Blue Pony is an album by the American musician Julie Miller, released in 1997.[2][3] It was Miller's first album of secular music.[4][5]
Miller supported the album by touring with Emmylou Harris.[6][7]
Production
[edit]The album was produced by Julie and Buddy Miller.[8] It was recorded in the Millers' Nashville dining room.[9] Steve Earle sang on "I Call on You", Emmylou Harris on "Forever My Beloved".[10][11] "Face of Appalachia" is a cover of the John Sebastian/Lowell George song.[12] "Dancing Girl" is about child prostitution in Thailand.[13]
Critical reception
[edit]| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [14] |
| The Atlanta Journal-Constitution | A[15] |
| Entertainment Weekly | A[16] |
| Los Angeles Daily News | [17] |
| MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide |  [8] |
The Washington Post wrote that "the songs are given mostly acoustic, string-band arrangements that take on a chamber-music flavor when violinist Tammy Rogers or cellist Matt Slocum join in."[10] Entertainment Weekly deemed the album "one of the year’s most haunting surprises," writing that Miller is "armed with dark, poetic lyrics about betrayal, redemption, and the damage caused by long-held secrets."[16] The Los Angeles Times called it "a touching, poetic album that is among the year's strongest progressive-country releases."[18]
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution determined that, "with a winsome voice pitched somewhere between innocence and experience, Julie Miller's debut is smart, heartfelt and catchy as hell."[15] The Los Angeles Daily News opined that "Miller's gorgeous record has a steely center."[17] The Philadelphia Inquirer labeled it "a mix of exquisite songwriting, Appalachian yearning and up-to-the-minute ethereality."[19]
AllMusic called the album "a wonderful slice of contemporary country that draws heavily on both folk and rock music."[14]
Track listing
[edit]| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "A Kiss on the Lips" | 5:13 |
| 2. | "Take Me Back" | 3:52 |
| 3. | "By Way of Sorrow" | 2:52 |
| 4. | "Dancing Girl" | 4:05 |
| 5. | "Give Me an Ocean" | 3:18 |
| 6. | "All the Pieces of Mary" | 3:43 |
| 7. | "The Devil Is an Angel" | 3:05 |
| 8. | "Letters to Emily" | 4:28 |
| 9. | "I Call on You" | 4:28 |
| 10. | "Face of Appalachia" | 4:16 |
| 11. | "Forever My Beloved" | 2:25 |
| 12. | "Blue Pony" | 3:26 |
| 13. | "Last Song" | 0:58 |
| Total length: | 46:07 | |
References
[edit]- ^ "Missed for a Decade, Roots Icons Buddy and Julie Miller Return to a Shared Spotlight". NPR.
- ^ "Julie Miller Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
- ^ Friskics-Warren, Bill (September 1, 2006). I'll Take You There: Pop Music and the Urge for Transcendence. A&C Black.
- ^ "Behind the Scenes". The Austin Chronicle.
- ^ McCall, Michael; Rumble, John; Kingsbury, Paul (December 16, 2004). The Encyclopedia of Country Music. Oxford University Press.
- ^ Reece, Doug (Apr 26, 1997). "Roadwork". Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 17. p. 29.
- ^ Renzhofer, Martin (4 July 1997). "Club Notes". The Salt Lake Tribune. p. C14.
- ^ a b MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 759.
- ^ Orr, Jay (23 May 1997). "Singer riding `Blue Pony' to stardom". Nashville Banner. p. D1.
- ^ a b "Julie Miller: 'Blue Pony'". The Washington Post. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
- ^ Guarino, Mark (May 9, 1997). "Julie Miller gets it just right with debut album 'Blue Pony'". Time Out. Daily Herald. p. 8.
- ^ BeDell, Andrew (12 June 1997). "Blue Pony Julie Miller". Go. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. 8:1.
- ^ McCall, Michael (May 15, 1997). "Miller's Crossing – Christian singer moves comfortably into the secular world". Nashville Cream. Nashville Scene.
- ^ a b "Blue Pony". AllMusic.
- ^ a b "Julie Miller 'Blue Pony'". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 24 Apr 1997. p. F4:1.
- ^ a b "Blue Pony". Entertainment Weekly.
- ^ a b Shuster, Fred (30 May 1997). "Sound Check". Los Angeles Daily News. p. L21.
- ^ Boehm, Mike (21 June 1997). "The Millers' Tale: Emmylou Harris Continues to Have a Knack for Finding Talented Pilgrims". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 2.
- ^ DeLuca, Dean (19 Sep 1997). "Buddy and Julie Miller". Features Weekend. The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 15.