So this one came to Immersive via email a few days ago and here’s the thing: The production, courtesy of Manboob Shawty, is solid, the vibe is there, but it’s not anything that will blow your brain. And in a lot of ways Miles Lanier’s vocals are the same. He’s a capable singer, but not an exceptional one in the technical sense. He has a good voice—at times even a resonant one—but it’s not particularly memorable in the aesthetic sense.
But here’s another thing: At some point during the recording of “Burgundy Bone” it must have dawned on someone, “Damn, LANIER is going IN on these vocals.” I mean, forget style, forget technique. This cat is laying it out there for the world to hear. Raw, powerful, vulnerable. Shattered romance and the fallout from a cheating lover may be standard R&B tropes, but LANIER taps into the resentment and hurt they cause in a way that feels liberating. Give me a choice between learned proficiency and visceral anger and heartache, and I’ll take the latter every time.
Look for LANIER’s upcoming demo, I Tried My Best, sometime this spring.
More Info
Bandcamp: mileslanier.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @Mileslanierwantstoeat
Instagram: @milesLANIER_
SoundCloud: @mileslanier
Twitter: @milesLANIER_