Asheville-based singer-songwriter Valorie Miller will be performing at The Cave in Chapel Hill on Saturday, April 17, on the early bill (7:30-9:30 p.m.) with Rebecca Pronsky.
Miller grew up in Durham and eventually came to rest in Asheville following college in Colorado.
Miller's latest album, Autumn Eyes, is her fifth CD.
When asked about her recording process nowadays, Miller allowed that she's learned a great deal about how to get what she wants in the recording studio since she tracked her first album, Analog, in 1999.
"I feel like I'm at the top of my game," she said. "I feel like my songwriting has become way more focused and concise. Looking back on my first record, there were a couple of numbers there that I still think are among my best work, mixed in with a lot of rambling, unfocused stuff. I mean, I'd never made a record before.
"I have a lot more ideas these days about how I want things to sound, and production ideas and such. I don't think I was really in charge on that first record. The fellas I was working with in the studio had a lot of ideas that got mixed in. I'm pretty protective these days; I want the ideas to be mine. I'm open to everyone's input, of course, and I use it often, but I definitely don't get led down a path I'm not comfortable following."
Miller noted that some aspects of creating and dealing with a new album are not particularly enjoyable.
"When I made my first two albums, it was all about doing a fun art project. I never thought I'd make a living doing this. I just liked playing songs and being in the studio. Now there's more pressure to make songs radio friendly, which I freaking hate. I didn't have a thought in my head about that stuff when I made my first two records."
In fact, however, Miller does enjoy some airplay - college radio, XM radio, and internationally - and her fourth album (Folk Star, 2006) landed on the Americana chart.
Miller's new record, Autumn Eyes, is a strong collection of original tunes. Asked if she tracked a song on the new disc that proved to be a welcome surprise, Miller immediately mentioned "Marigolds."
She explained that, "That was a song that I made up the day I recorded it. I realized that I didn't have anything on the record with just me and my guitar. This album is, I guess, a little more produced than my last record, so I started to worry that I'd overproduced the thing. I just spontaneously recorded 'Marigolds,' and I think it came out really pretty."
In terms of favorite songs, Miller mentioned "Carolina Line" and "Old Boots," numbers she referred to as the "jazz trio" songs.
"I was working with stellar players (Mike Holstein and Bill Gerhardt), and it was so fun to be in the studio doing that all in the same room. 'Old Boots' is an old song," she noted. "I have a stockpile of material that I go through when I'm going to record. I call it my compost pile."
"Old Boots" and "Carolina Line" both benefit from fine lyrics and a jazzy vibe that feels very right.
Another choice tune from Autumn Eyes is "Sons-a-bitches."
"I almost didn't put that song on the album," Miller laughed. "I have quite a reputation for being a dark songwriter. What some people think is dark, however, I think is sort of uplifting in a strange way - in a sad, maudlin kind of way. The idea with this record was to show a different side of Valorie and not go quite so dark, but I really wanted to put 'Sons-a-bitches' on it. I just convinced myself that the point of the song is to say away from sons-a-bitches and move on from bad relationships.
"Women love the song," she added. No doubt.
Drop in to The Cave on April 17 and catch Valorie's act. She might even sell you a copy of Autumn Eyes.
You can also find her new album right here: http://cdbaby.com/cd/valoriemiller4.
