Ms. Miller can’t be New York City’s best kept singer songwriter secret much longer. Mantra, which is officially classified as an EP though it contains a generous six tracks, displays Miller in all her glory. She’s a balladeer (“Mantra, I’m In Love”), a rocker (“Waste My Breath”), a folk troubadour (“All He Has To Do”) and a torch singer (“Right Here, Right Now”) - I’ll leave you to discover the other three tracks. Abetted by a fine backing ensemble (bassist Jeff Allen, drummer Doug Yowell, guitarist Oz Noy) plus a supportive string section (no synthesizers! no samples!) which embellishes each and every melody and lyrical nuance - Miller can do no wrong on Mantra. Highly recommended for fans of Alanis Morissette, Fiona Apple, Shelby Lynne and your mom’s old Laura Nyro records.
--Tom Semioli
