Los Angeles-based indie folk ensemble Milo Greene has released their self-titled debut album. For being a first disc from the quintet, I was expecting it to fall short somewhere along the way. Call me a pessimist, but it’s not often where we see bands get it right the first time around. Milo Greene has turned me into an optimist (for now) after listening to their release. Marlana Sheetz, Andrew Heringer, Graham Fink, and Robbie Arnett all take turns on vocals and various instruments, with percussionist Curtis Marrero keeping everyone in time. The vocalists all have clean tones that complement one another, and could also be done in an a cappella format if they wanted. They are doing something different in the music world and I assure you it will not go unnoticed.
I am extremely fond of artists who put instrumental interludes in between tracks. Milo Greene did that with “Orpheus,” “Wooden Antlers,” “Moddison,” and “Polaroid.” They’re meticulously placed throughout the disc, giving you a little break and gearing you up for the next track. The harmony among the four different vocalists was showcased in “1957.” Gentle yet effective instrumentals on “Son My Son” were a great backdrop to Sheetz’s vocals. Her voice stood out the most and carried the weight of the ensemble to the track’s end.
The instrumentals had their place in the album and they weren’t completely on the back burner, but they certainly were not the focal point. All focus zeroes in to the well-orchestrated harmonies among the vocalists. Milo Greene did something exceptionally well with their album, not mimicking anyone else’s sound. Nothing was forced, and the execution was done flawlessly.
In A Word: Harmonious
