Miles To Dayton

"A Long Way Back" CD

Self-released

Genre: folk, indie pop

June 2006

Miles to Dayton's first full-length effort is a solid collection of quiet, dreamy tunes. Almost every track here is chock-full of clever harmonies and labyrinthine melodies that warrant repeat listens. Krista March - unassumingly listed as "the voice" in the liner notes - has some sweet pipes that suit the M2D sound to a tee, while guitarist and chief songwriter Jon Preddice enlists a small army of instrumentalists to provide spot contributions. Because the majority of the songs on A Long Way Back are lovelorn ballads, the album's vibe can get a bit samey at times, so the increased depth of the band's musical arsenal is welcome.

Preddice himself provides some of the most memorable touches with impeccably-timed cello licks that punctuate the album's climactic moments. He delivers some giant solos, most notably on "Your Love" and "Dayton," two tunes that don't stray far from the M2D formula. There are some notable exceptions - the up-tempo opener, "Hero For Another Day," shows that these guys can play the indie pop game, while straight-up rocker "Therapy" and epic highlight "Green Light Go" see the band reach for the amplifiers to add some punch to its sound - but rootsy ballads remain Miles to Dayton's bread and butter. "We'll all be fine, for we all have a place and time," March warbles in the triumphant final chorus of "Letter to You and Me," encapsulating the album's message in one subdued rallying cry. You tell 'em.

MP3s (from milestodayton.net): Hero For Another Day, A New Song

79%

A.J. Gregory

[Vitals: 12 tracks, distributed by CD Baby, released 2005]