“Miles”
from the album Influence of Geography
2005
iTunes
Download a free MP3 of “Miles” from Ruffword Records
[right-click/save-as]
Styles and tendencies in rock ‘n’ roll tend to change pretty gradually when all is said and done, the definitive sound or sounds of one era blending seamlessly into another, and only emerging as definitive in retrospect — it’s much easier, as an example, to talk about a “90s sound” now than it was back when we were living through it. And so the ’00s (more than half over already!) may seem so far to have produced a difficult-to-generalize sort of sound to date — particularly as there is by now such a longer and richer musical history for rock bands to be inspired by. But some characteristic sounds are emerging and this able and spiffy tune by a new L.A. band called the Southland pretty much nails one of them exquisitely. With its bedroom-rock-style mixture of acoustic and beat rhythms, “Miles” is not a song that could possibly have been produced in the ’60s or ’70s or ’80s or ’90s. That doesn’t mean this is gloriously original; actually the point is that it isn’t — but it is enormously characteristic, and beautifully crafted. What wins is the memorable chorus, with its bittersweet melody and that great, marshmallowy slide-guitar lick.