HEATHER MYLES —LIVE IN LONDON AND TEXAS (Floating World)

[Maurice Hope]

www.myspace.com/floatingworld.music 

West coast gal, Heather Myles has long championed the values of traditional country music, especially the west coast Bakersfield sound through her work. Like a breath of fresh air she came on to the scene in 1992 and remained so for over ten years, but sadly her career and music has since become stale. It is as if after playing the music, influenced by Merle Haggard, Buck Owens and the like she either ran out of ideas or found she was battling against the tide. If that is the case it is a shame because for a while she looked to have everything needed to make it big time, but country music has changed and not for the better. While Heather is real country and always will be. 

Myles is in good voice throughout. Excelling on her covers of the older songs. So good is she at doing them few are able to match never mind eclipse her efforts and that goes for her own finely penned country songs too. I only wish she were to be given that big break, she needs a helping hand or two to become known to a broader audience. It is like she has been wore down by the business or is it just me?

Setting a high benchmark Myles and band of 1996 featuring respected UK electric lead guitarist Wes McGhee, Gary Brandin, Gary Hewitt and Ann Day strike home time after time.

Brandin’s bright and breezy foot tapper ‘Lovin’ The Bottle’ and her own ‘Sweet Little Dangerous’, ‘Love Me A Little Longer’ and powerhouse tune ‘Changes’ get to press all the right buttons. 

Backing the Live In London original we have ten songs recorded in Texas that sees Myles with a little of her old swagger pin back my ears on a few little treasures. As in Marty Robbins’ ‘Begging To You’, Leroy Van Dykes ‘Just Walk On By’ and her own songs ‘Big Cars’ and an entertaining steel guitar and fiddle plied affair they show both her and her band in good light. If Myles is new to you then you are best advised to check-out her Demon albums ‘Just Like Old Times, Untamed and from 1998, Highways And Honky Tonks (Rounder). 

Maurice Hope