Orchid South, the third album from the Memphis singer-songwriter Chris Milam, is made up of 11 songs crafted over three years of intense work, with all the tunes ultimately captured live from the tracking room floor in four days.
The flowing and rich title track opens the listen with crisp drums, breezy guitars and well-timed horns that won’t go unnoticed. “Almost Gone” follows, recruiting powerful guitars and soaring vocals that touch on power-pop ideas while still being very much indebted to rock’n’roll, followed by the bare-versus-busy dynamics of “Cut Myself Shaving,” which builds into an emotive climate.
Further along, the scrappy and dance floor-ready “Always On My Mind” is an infectious take on the Phantom Planet original, and the intimate delivery of “Bad Dream” exits side A with a dreamy demeanor of beauty and introspection.
The back half of the album doesn’t disappoint, either, where “Celebrity Now” is a full of bright musicianship that showcases a meticulous guitar solo and punchy, driving bass and drums. The heartfelt “Let Me Love You” is a cozy duet that’s touching and poetic, where Milam’s smooth voice is met with lovely female pipes.
The final two tracks are among the best. “Underwater” blurs itself in a haze of textured, mesmerizing song craft that’s nearly meditative, and “Song Of The Summer” bookends the record with graceful piano and expressive singing that’s eloquent and memorable.
Somewhere between folk-rock, Americana, retro power-pop and good old-fashioned rock’n’roll, Milam has seen comparisons to Paul Simon, and shared the stage with Cory Branan, who he also may bring to mind. Certainly appreciated more as an album versus a song-by-song collection, Orchid South features players from bands like The Hold Steady, Lucero, Spiral Stairs and Twin Forks, which certainly adds to the appeal.
