Wisconsin-born singer-songwriter Jacob Miller sets a timeless, introspective tone for his upcoming album Around My Head released on March 18. Bringing about feelings of nostalgia and comfort, Around My Head serves as an open-ended response to the questions of daily life that surround all of us. Between the silky vocals and the rhythmic guitar, Miller utilizes poetic stream of consciousness to draw in listeners. The character at hand is reflecting lightheartedly on a lover of the past, not necessarily with intense yearning but with genuine curiosity and tenderness. In this way, Miller encapsulates the simplicity of connecting with someone and feeling the loss on a myopic level, which is to say, holding on to the small things. “Do you look for the moon between the trees,” he sings in the title track, “while you hum sweet melodies?” This reflective lyricism which Miller is known for brings about an organic sense of introspection within the listener, as Miller invites us to examine ideas of personal growth and acceptance when it comes to love or new beginnings. The album features 9 songs including already released tracks “Leave”, “Lonely Nights”, and “It’s You I Like”.
The album is titled Around My Head because, as Miller explains, “it expresses this visual idea of relationships, hardship, learning, etc. constantly circling my mind.” Nevertheless, “when you pull back and look at the big picture you see these things that seem so large and dominating personally are actually very minimal or almost irrelevant in the grand scheme of life.” With a catchy candidness, the song affirms the darkness which can sometimes circle all of us while bringing to light the depth of the mundane. “Around My Head, feels to me like a personal letter written to each respective listener. It is my hope that people can find themselves and their own story in between the folds of this record.”
Jacob Miller is an artist that creates with intention and integrity. Preferring lyrical precision over flashy production, Miller’s skillful yet effortless guitar style serves as a modern take on the established yet expansive genre of Singer-Songwriter. With unusual candor and intent, Miller stands apart for his thoughtful musicality and timeless sound.
Starting as many do by singing in church, it didn’t take long for Miller to become intrigued by the idea of exploring music. After being gifted his first guitar at 12 and learning some basics, Miller says his younger self “immediately identified music as a way to emote” as he started to “put words to things [he] was unable to articulate before.” Playing in his first band at 14, he went on to gig for groups that played everything from alt-rock, metal and even electronic music. Nevertheless, it wasn’t until his late teens when he discovered 1920s country-blues recordings, citing influences like Blind Boy Fuller and Lonnie Johnson, as well as 1960s American Folk Revival that he found his true musical home.
From his small town Wisconsin background, years studying the regional music of the Appalachians, to his present roots in Portland, OR, Miller has had the opportunity to absorb diverse cultural settings and grow musically through each experience. Though his own personal sound tends to stay within the general bounds of singer-songwriter, that doesn’t mean Miller isn’t drawing inspiration elsewhere. It’s evident that his culmination of experiences from playing country-blues to jazz have become embedded into the fabric of his music. In this way, his style is a reflection of his learnings, creating an approachable nature while balancing subtle sophistication.
Despite often being compared to artists like Paul Simon, Andy Shauf, Chet Baker and others alike, his time performing on NBC’s “The Voice” in 2020 gave Miller the opportunity to break away from likenesses and establish himself as an artist curating his own sound. Garnering praise from both Nick Jonas, who said Miller is “connected to every word he sings,” and James Taylor, who admitted the aspiring artist has “really got something,” Miller was able to draw in fans from around the world for his passion and authenticity.
Alongside “The Voice,” which brought an audience of millions, Miller has also played live for thousands in concert halls, auditoriums, TedTalk events and for festivals like the Treefort Music Festival, Doe Bay Festival and Fisherman’s Village Music Festival. Even so, it’s the ability to connect that Miller strives for, which is best achieved in an intimate setting. “Though I am fond of traditional venue shows, there is something special about connecting with an audience in an intimate listening room or DIY space where it feels like your exchange with the crowd is on a deeper level” he explains.
Connectivity being the underlying purpose behind everything Miller releases, it’s no wonder that many describe his music as “tender” and “evocative.” With a string of singles and an album already out (This New Home, 2019), Miller is ready to usher on a new chapter with the anticipated March 2022 release of his sophomore album, Around My Head. The album will be in collaboration with Patrick Tetreault, Craig Alvin (Kacey Musgraves, Brittany Howard) and Grammy-winning composer/trumpeter, Charlie Porter. Around My Head aims to draw from his past music while establishing a fresh take on his abilities as a songwriter, composer and bandleader.
