The fifth album from Oklahoma native now Nashville-based singer/songwriter Parker Millsap changes things up for Be Here Instead – a reflective and experimental album he calls “Disco Americana Showtunes.” On the latest Millsap leaves behind the guitar and notebook approach of past albums to broaden his musical scope and explores other methods of musical expression with everything from piano to effects pedals to old-school drum machines. The result is Be Here Instead – a stylistic shift from the gritty and high-energy folk of his previous releases to a genre-bending meticulously polished and detailed collection of songs. The LP also shifts away from character-driven storytelling to a more intuitive songwriting style. To quote Millsap, “Because the lyrics were appearing seemingly out of nowhere and with no prior intent, some of them started to feel like transmissions from my subconscious, rather than the preconceived linear stories or waking thoughts of my earlier songs” and goes on to say the songs “feel like words I needed to hear from myself, and not just things I wanted to say to someone else.” The album was produced by John Agnello (Kurt Vile, Waxahatchee) and primarily recorded live with Millsap’s full band. Album highlights include: the bright lead single “The Real Thing”; the lushly textured reflective psych-soul track “Vulnerable”; the slow burner “Dammit”; the jaunty “Rolling”; the soulful “Passing Through”; and the stirring “Empty.” Parker Millsap’s Be Here Instead is filled with many unexpected twists and turns but that’s what makes this album so compelling and one of this year’s must listen. – Written by JFelton
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