Orcutt Shelley Miller Orcutt Shelley Miller
Orcutt Shelley Miller's Orcutt Shelley Miller charges out of the gate like a live power trio intent on dissolving into psychedelic oblivion, and across two professional reviews critics largely agree the record's heat comes from its improvisational guts and collective intuition. Earning a 78.5/100 consensus score across 2 professional reviews, the five-track set turns minimal ingredients into high-stakes interactions where sudden stops, stuttering attacks and open-ended jams create moments of carefully executed mayhem.
Reviewers consistently single out “An L.A. Funeral” and “A Long Island Wedding” as the record's clearest payoffs, with “An L.A. Funeral” pivoting from Neil Young & Crazy Horse-like drama into free-jazz excursions and “A Long Island Wedding” converting a gentle drift into a glorious rumble. Critics also praise “Four-door Charger” for its krautrock stretch and “A Star Is Born” for staking a claim in American avant-rock; together these standout tracks answer the common query about the best songs on Orcutt Shelley Miller.
While both reviews celebrate the album's live-performance energy and improvisational daring, they note that the tension between rock tradition and experimentation can feel intentionally abrasive - a quality that will delight fans of avant-rock and krautrock influence but may challenge those expecting polished production. The critical consensus suggests Orcutt Shelley Miller is worth seeking out for its immediacy, power-trio dynamics and moments of exploratory brilliance, setting the stage for deeper listening in the detailed reviews below.
Critics' Top Tracks
The standout songs that made critics take notice
An L.A. Funeral
2 mentions
"“An L.A. Funeral” deepens the mood, an atmospheric meditation that nods to European free-jazz"— Dusted Magazine
A Long Island Wedding
2 mentions
"“Unsafe At Any Speed” and “A Long Island Wedding” round out the set, oscillating between soaring escapism and optimistic groove."— Dusted Magazine
Unsafe At Any Speed
2 mentions
"“Unsafe At Any Speed” and “A Long Island Wedding” round out the set, oscillating between soaring escapism and optimistic groove."— Dusted Magazine
“An L.A. Funeral” deepens the mood, an atmospheric meditation that nods to European free-jazz
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
A Star Is Born
An L.A. Funeral
Unsafe At Any Speed
Four-door Charger
A Long Island Wedding
What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 2 critics who reviewed this album
Critic's Take
Orcutt Shelley Miller feels like a power trio that marches delightfully toward psychedelic oblivion, and the best songs on Orcutt Shelley Miller—notably “An L.A. Funeral” and “A Long Island Wedding”—are where that tension pays off. Grayson Haver Currin’s voice circles each theme like a careful cartographer, noting how “An L.A. Funeral” starts like Neil Young & Crazy Horse and then veers off, and how “A Long Island Wedding” turns a gentle drift into a glorious rumble. The review insists these tracks are exemplary because Orcutt’s stuttering, start-and-stop attacks force Shelley and Miller to recalibrate, producing moments of carefully executed mayhem that define the album.
Key Points
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“An L.A. Funeral” is best because its Neil Young-like entry then sudden stuttering forces the band into dramatic space and payoff.
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The album’s core strengths are trio interplay, improvisational risk, and turning classic-rock entry points into psychedelic mayhem.
Themes
Critic's Take
In a voice that delights in the serendipitous chemistry of three players becoming one, Orcutt Shelley Miller's self-titled record makes its case through immediacy and heat. The review revels in how “A Star Is Born” announces them as leaders of American avant-rock, how “Four-door Charger” stretches into a krautrock-infused centerpiece, and how “An L.A. Funeral” deepens the mood with free-jazz nods. It praises the album's lean five-track focus, improvisational instincts, and live stakes. These elements make the best tracks stand out and reward repeat listens.
Key Points
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“Four-door Charger” is the best track because it is the album's nine-minute krautrock-infused centerpiece that achieves immersive trance-like propulsion.
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The album's core strengths are its improvisational chemistry, live immediacy, and concentrated five-track focus that rewards repeat listens.