Photo: Sherri Jerome
"Seattle’s liveliest country-flavored act since Neko Case." - Paul Constant, The Stranger
The Joy Mills Band takes a sonic turn on their new album, Echolocator, taking their soulful country and roots sound into new territory. The sound is clean and modern, vocals front and center. An eclectic set of influences from long-time band members takes flavors from singer-songwriters like Jenny Lewis and Sharon Van Etten and twangy southern rock classics from Supertramp and The Police. The rhythm section is no-frills straight ahead, and the atmosphere and vibe come from Lucien LaMotte's versatile lead guitar and Jack Quick's playful keyboards. Still classic and warm, the Joy Mills Band delivers 10 unfaltering songs on Echolocator, their fifth release, mixed by Julian Martlew and mastered by Ed Brooks (Resonant Mastering).
Mills writes lyrics that compel a deeper listen and dynamic melodies that lift and swell, with ace harmonies from long-time partner, Tom Parker. Themes explore changing perspectives in a world overstimulated and bordering on the brink. On "Message of My Love" Mills and Parker sweetly entreat the listener to "Feel it in your arms / feel it in your legs / Vessels of your heart / Enigmatic spark."
Mills searches deeper waters, giving reminders that we are living the story on multiple levels. Songs with lines that seek and simmer, as in the title-track "Echolocator" "I'm a new person now, a new version somehow / But it’s the child in me who holds the master key." Or in the post-apocalyptic "Get Out of Town" where Mills sings, "The stars are still our guide / in this lonely aftermath."
The Joy Mills Band is Mills on lead vocals and electric guitar; Tom Parker on bass, harmony vocals; Lucien LaMotte on electric guitar, nylon guitar, pedal steel; Mike McDermott on drums; Jack Quick on keys and harmony vocals. Seattle-based, they've received accolades from notable sources such as The Stranger, Seattle Weekly, Maverick Magazine and Americana UK; toured nationally and in Europe; and shared performances with such artists as Todd Snider, Eilen Jewell, The Delines, Zoe Muth, and the Wood Brothers.
Reviews for Echolocator
Joy Mills Band, Echolocator (Wes Weddell, Puget's Sound Productions and songwriter-at-large)
Just as Hollywood’s recent cycle of reboots and adaptations seems incapable of releasing an original story, much contemporary music writing can’t escape the compulsion to compare. I know the circadian algorithms of our digital landscape make it easy for listeners to cede their own agency—“if you like ____, you might like ____,” says…who exactly??—but what a (ahem) joy it remains to find, all on your own, new work that moves you.
I wasn’t even looking for the new Joy Mills Band record to kick my ass. Mills is one of my favorite songwriters, here in Seattle or anywhere, and I envy her tight band of versatile players who all throw in so selflessly in service to the song and groove. I knew that Echolocator would, like the JMB catalog preceding it, emerge as a nice document of songs I’ve gotten to know in live performance. And I would’ve been happy with that. But that’s not what I got.
It’s the rare project that ambitiously seeks new sonic territory outside a group’s established purview (in this case Americana-twang, or whatever inadequate label you prefer—but with more durable writing) yet still satisfies longtime fans who might think it wasn’t broke (without realizing the comparisons they’d inevitably apply). Echolocator does it. What more, it’s a terrifically strong, cohesive effort top-to-bottom, thoughtfully conceived and expertly executed.
I’m not even going to write what I might hear influence-wise, though you can check the group’s own copy for a few nibbles. I will happily report, though, that the sounds are crisp, the vocals warm and clear, the playing and arrangements superb (again, what a treat when all roles focus toward lifting the whole effort!), and the songwriting evocative and relatable in that deceptive way that can mask the effort and skill involved (you try to consistently offer something so literate-but-tangible!). Lead guitarist Lucien La Motte, like Mike Campbell in Tom Petty’s Heartbreakers, is a brilliant player who offers not what he can, but what he should to better the full performance (oops, that sounds like a comparison, but Petty is not one of the muses I suspect here). Bassist Tom Parker is, for my non-classical money, the best male harmony singer in town. Julian Martlew’s bold engineering and mixing is its own character in the band, another element fully committed to sonic solidarity. Also: who ever said you can’t have catchy hooks and well-crafted lyrics? (In a nod to Track 7, “The Lonely and the Lean,” I’ll propose an answer to my own question: the lazy and the paid?)
Push pause on the Pandorified impulse to discount if you can’t classify. Play this record. Lean into the songs, stories, and sounds. Those other “influential” albums will all be waiting for you when you’re done. But I’ll bet you’re going to want to hear Echolocator again.
Rootsville (Belgium) March 2020
Seattle-based singer-songwriter Joy Mills and her band begin their journey together in 2011 and have four albums to their name. The country and root quintet centered their sound around Mill's ethereal alto vocals and inviting songwriting. Their fifth album, "Echolocator" contains 10 new songs that push her and her band to new frontiers. Mills is supported by Tom Parker on bass and vocals, guitarist Lucien LaMotte along with Mike McDermott on drums and keyboardist Jack Quick. The super-smooth new album is a mix of influences from progressive rock and Emo Pop with a bit of country twang and West Coast soul, the epitome of the term "alternative to adult albums. The Joy Mills Band are Joy Mills (guitar, vocals ), Tom Parker (bass, vocals), Lucien LaMotte (guitar, pedal stem), Mikel McDermott (drums), Jack Quick (keys, vocals).
It opens with the title track of this "Echolocator", a bit of soul-seeking poetry with a clear feeling from the 80's. that starts with a nod to Alex Lifeson from LaMotte's guitar harmonics. The spacious 'Get Out of Town' makes use of all the instrumental and vocal talents of the band on the lilting pop song. The alt-country twang returns to the relaxed "Without Even Asking." Jack Quick leads the groove with funky Wurlitzer work during the shifting 'Stuck in a Rut' and LaMotte delivers a tasty solo on the southern soul rocker 'Favorite Stone'. The light-hearted beats and swirling sounds of 'The Lonely and the Lean' mask a darker center of introspective songwriting. LaMotte drops a wonderfully high lonely pedal sample over the sentimental ballad "My One and Only", with great effect and channels Mark Knopfler on the dreamy song "The Peace of Things". The album ends with a sweet song, "Message Of My Love".
A superficial approach would put this "Joy Mills Band" under the heading of "modern country", but a more thoughtful consideration of the songs on "Echolocator" also requires consideration of "roots" and "alternative pop". But we music fans know that the label is unimportant. The important factors are the emotional resonance, the internal colors that are evoked in your head and the lasting impact of the songs when the last note fades. And in these areas, Echolocator arrives as a winner. We found ourselves drawn by the stories, reading the lyrics and enjoying our own memories evoked by the songs, and impressed by the amalgamation of country twang and indie pop.
Rootstime (Belgium) March 2020
“On their fifth release ‘Echolocator’ the Seattle-based roots rocking ‘Joy Mills Band’ is presenting a splendid mix of poppy tunes, alt.country and rock songs. With the song ‘My One And Only’ they deliver one of the most beautiful love songs we ever heard. Please give this hard working American band the recognition that they truly deserve!“
The American roots rock formation "Joy Mills Band" was, as the name suggests, formed in 2011 around singer and songwriter Joy Mills from Seattle, Washington. The other band members are bassist Tom Parker, guitarist and pedal steel player Lucien LaMotte, keyboard player Jack Quick and drummer Mikel McDermott. Their country and folk inspired rock sound is again the basis of the new album “Echolocator” which has been released in the US market at the end of January 2020 and is now being released internationally. This album follows the debut album “Trick Of The Eye” (2012), “Cat & Mouse” (2013) and the “Deep Cut” EP from 2015. Their previous record was the EP-release “Coming Up” released at the end of 2017 with four own songs and one cover. After that the ten new songs were written for their fifth album "Echolocator".
Fans of this genre of music may notice similarities between the sound of the "Joy Mills Band" and the music that female rock stars like Jenny Lewis, Neko Case or Stevie Nicks usually perform on their records. The swinging album title track that you can listen to on the video may serve as the basis for this comparison. What we also noticed very positively when listening to this album is the regularly appearing harmonious harmony vocals between Joy Mills and Tom Parker. Both have a musical past since they met in 2000 by performing as a duo under the name "The Starlings". In that capacity, they recorded three albums together before starting the "Joy Mills Band" in 2011. If we just walk through the list of the ten songs, we can mention the following tracks as highlights: the melodic pop songs “Get Out of Town” and “The Lonely And The Lean”, the typical alt.country song “Without Even Asking”, soul rocker “Favorite Stone”, the sentimental emo-ballad “My One And Only” with very nice pedal steelwork by Lucien La Motte and the closing song “Message Of My Love”, sung by Joy Mills.
Musik an sich (Germany) April 2020
Music from Seattle, the American Joy Mills Band presents their current work with Echolocator and immediately surprises me with the opening title, the title song. Did I end up in the seventies? Don't I know this band somehow? Right - the song quickly leads me with its sound to the then edition of Fleetwood Mac of the Buckingham / Nicks era. So this title could have been part of the album "Rumors".
But it doesn't necessarily stay that way, even though this sound, which was unique at the time, always flits through the atmosphere, sometimes more, sometimes less. Well, I don't want to look at the music from this point of view, because Joy Mills sings differently than Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie, because with a certain twang in the voice and a trace of Celtic origin there are also traces of country and folk Singing. However, this is embedded in a thick layer of cotton called Pop, and that sounds very nice, very sophisticated, appealing and personable.
The band plays very closely together and produces a strongly communal sound, whereby nobody pushes to the fore, the instruments are used expediently and rarely look out as soloists to put themselves in the limelight. All in all, the band paints a very expressive picture full of emotional power, a lot of melancholy resonates and misses some songs a dreamy mood, for example easy to understand with "Oxygen". A little rock creeps in with the song "Favorite Stone" and the country track is gently pushed with "My One And Only". But in the end, the music mostly floats in the fairway of pop music.
Joy Mills Band, Echolocator (Wes Weddell, Puget's Sound Productions and songwriter-at-large)
Just as Hollywood’s recent cycle of reboots and adaptations seems incapable of releasing an original story, much contemporary music writing can’t escape the compulsion to compare. I know the circadian algorithms of our digital landscape make it easy for listeners to cede their own agency—“if you like ____, you might like ____,” says…who exactly??—but what a (ahem) joy it remains to find, all on your own, new work that moves you.
I wasn’t even looking for the new Joy Mills Band record to kick my ass. Mills is one of my favorite songwriters, here in Seattle or anywhere, and I envy her tight band of versatile players who all throw in so selflessly in service to the song and groove. I knew that Echolocator would, like the JMB catalog preceding it, emerge as a nice document of songs I’ve gotten to know in live performance. And I would’ve been happy with that. But that’s not what I got.
It’s the rare project that ambitiously seeks new sonic territory outside a group’s established purview (in this case Americana-twang, or whatever inadequate label you prefer—but with more durable writing) yet still satisfies longtime fans who might think it wasn’t broke (without realizing the comparisons they’d inevitably apply). Echolocator does it. What more, it’s a terrifically strong, cohesive effort top-to-bottom, thoughtfully conceived and expertly executed.
I’m not even going to write what I might hear influence-wise, though you can check the group’s own copy for a few nibbles. I will happily report, though, that the sounds are crisp, the vocals warm and clear, the playing and arrangements superb (again, what a treat when all roles focus toward lifting the whole effort!), and the songwriting evocative and relatable in that deceptive way that can mask the effort and skill involved (you try to consistently offer something so literate-but-tangible!). Lead guitarist Lucien La Motte, like Mike Campbell in Tom Petty’s Heartbreakers, is a brilliant player who offers not what he can, but what he should to better the full performance (oops, that sounds like a comparison, but Petty is not one of the muses I suspect here). Bassist Tom Parker is, for my non-classical money, the best male harmony singer in town. Julian Martlew’s bold engineering and mixing is its own character in the band, another element fully committed to sonic solidarity. Also: who ever said you can’t have catchy hooks and well-crafted lyrics? (In a nod to Track 7, “The Lonely and the Lean,” I’ll propose an answer to my own question: the lazy and the paid?)
Push pause on the Pandorified impulse to discount if you can’t classify. Play this record. Lean into the songs, stories, and sounds. Those other “influential” albums will all be waiting for you when you’re done. But I’ll bet you’re going to want to hear Echolocator again.
Rootsville (Belgium) March 2020
Seattle-based singer-songwriter Joy Mills and her band begin their journey together in 2011 and have four albums to their name. The country and root quintet centered their sound around Mill's ethereal alto vocals and inviting songwriting. Their fifth album, "Echolocator" contains 10 new songs that push her and her band to new frontiers. Mills is supported by Tom Parker on bass and vocals, guitarist Lucien LaMotte along with Mike McDermott on drums and keyboardist Jack Quick. The super-smooth new album is a mix of influences from progressive rock and Emo Pop with a bit of country twang and West Coast soul, the epitome of the term "alternative to adult albums. The Joy Mills Band are Joy Mills (guitar, vocals ), Tom Parker (bass, vocals), Lucien LaMotte (guitar, pedal stem), Mikel McDermott (drums), Jack Quick (keys, vocals).
It opens with the title track of this "Echolocator", a bit of soul-seeking poetry with a clear feeling from the 80's. that starts with a nod to Alex Lifeson from LaMotte's guitar harmonics. The spacious 'Get Out of Town' makes use of all the instrumental and vocal talents of the band on the lilting pop song. The alt-country twang returns to the relaxed "Without Even Asking." Jack Quick leads the groove with funky Wurlitzer work during the shifting 'Stuck in a Rut' and LaMotte delivers a tasty solo on the southern soul rocker 'Favorite Stone'. The light-hearted beats and swirling sounds of 'The Lonely and the Lean' mask a darker center of introspective songwriting. LaMotte drops a wonderfully high lonely pedal sample over the sentimental ballad "My One and Only", with great effect and channels Mark Knopfler on the dreamy song "The Peace of Things". The album ends with a sweet song, "Message Of My Love".
A superficial approach would put this "Joy Mills Band" under the heading of "modern country", but a more thoughtful consideration of the songs on "Echolocator" also requires consideration of "roots" and "alternative pop". But we music fans know that the label is unimportant. The important factors are the emotional resonance, the internal colors that are evoked in your head and the lasting impact of the songs when the last note fades. And in these areas, Echolocator arrives as a winner. We found ourselves drawn by the stories, reading the lyrics and enjoying our own memories evoked by the songs, and impressed by the amalgamation of country twang and indie pop.
Rootstime (Belgium) March 2020
“On their fifth release ‘Echolocator’ the Seattle-based roots rocking ‘Joy Mills Band’ is presenting a splendid mix of poppy tunes, alt.country and rock songs. With the song ‘My One And Only’ they deliver one of the most beautiful love songs we ever heard. Please give this hard working American band the recognition that they truly deserve!“
The American roots rock formation "Joy Mills Band" was, as the name suggests, formed in 2011 around singer and songwriter Joy Mills from Seattle, Washington. The other band members are bassist Tom Parker, guitarist and pedal steel player Lucien LaMotte, keyboard player Jack Quick and drummer Mikel McDermott. Their country and folk inspired rock sound is again the basis of the new album “Echolocator” which has been released in the US market at the end of January 2020 and is now being released internationally. This album follows the debut album “Trick Of The Eye” (2012), “Cat & Mouse” (2013) and the “Deep Cut” EP from 2015. Their previous record was the EP-release “Coming Up” released at the end of 2017 with four own songs and one cover. After that the ten new songs were written for their fifth album "Echolocator".
Fans of this genre of music may notice similarities between the sound of the "Joy Mills Band" and the music that female rock stars like Jenny Lewis, Neko Case or Stevie Nicks usually perform on their records. The swinging album title track that you can listen to on the video may serve as the basis for this comparison. What we also noticed very positively when listening to this album is the regularly appearing harmonious harmony vocals between Joy Mills and Tom Parker. Both have a musical past since they met in 2000 by performing as a duo under the name "The Starlings". In that capacity, they recorded three albums together before starting the "Joy Mills Band" in 2011. If we just walk through the list of the ten songs, we can mention the following tracks as highlights: the melodic pop songs “Get Out of Town” and “The Lonely And The Lean”, the typical alt.country song “Without Even Asking”, soul rocker “Favorite Stone”, the sentimental emo-ballad “My One And Only” with very nice pedal steelwork by Lucien La Motte and the closing song “Message Of My Love”, sung by Joy Mills.
Musik an sich (Germany) April 2020
Music from Seattle, the American Joy Mills Band presents their current work with Echolocator and immediately surprises me with the opening title, the title song. Did I end up in the seventies? Don't I know this band somehow? Right - the song quickly leads me with its sound to the then edition of Fleetwood Mac of the Buckingham / Nicks era. So this title could have been part of the album "Rumors".
But it doesn't necessarily stay that way, even though this sound, which was unique at the time, always flits through the atmosphere, sometimes more, sometimes less. Well, I don't want to look at the music from this point of view, because Joy Mills sings differently than Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie, because with a certain twang in the voice and a trace of Celtic origin there are also traces of country and folk Singing. However, this is embedded in a thick layer of cotton called Pop, and that sounds very nice, very sophisticated, appealing and personable.
The band plays very closely together and produces a strongly communal sound, whereby nobody pushes to the fore, the instruments are used expediently and rarely look out as soloists to put themselves in the limelight. All in all, the band paints a very expressive picture full of emotional power, a lot of melancholy resonates and misses some songs a dreamy mood, for example easy to understand with "Oxygen". A little rock creeps in with the song "Favorite Stone" and the country track is gently pushed with "My One And Only". But in the end, the music mostly floats in the fairway of pop music.
Previous Press
"Seattle’s liveliest country-flavored act since Neko Case." - Paul Constant (The Stranger)
“Call it lilt with an edge.” – Leicester Bangs (UK)
“Organic country…both delicate and edgy… For the lo-fi country enthusiast.” – Maverick Magazine
"Trick of the Eye is an easy rolling, urban country debut, right in step with the likes of Zoe Muth and Davidson Hart Kingsbery. Mills sings with a simple, unhurried cadence, with earthy tones that softly attune bassist Tom Parker's subtle harmonies with her own. Trick of the Eye rings with such sounds, rich in lyrical imagery and twangy pedal steel." - Seattle Weekly
Mills spent 2005-2010 leading the Americana band, The Starlings. She and Tom Parker also perform as an acoustic duo. Mills continues to push the edges wider to incorporate classic sounds of early rock ‘n’ roll, country and soulful songwriting. The band’s repertoire maintains an urban country style filled with melodic interplay and layers of pedal steel and electric guitar set against the backdrop of the Pacific Northwest.
In both her solo career and with The Starlings, Mills has garnered extensive reviews, chart-listings and favor both here and abroad. Trick of the Eye landed on Seattle Weekly’s Best Country Albums for 2012, and she was called by The Stranger’s Paul Constant, “Seattle’s liveliest country-flavored act since Neko Case.” She has supported such artists as Todd Snider, The Avett Brothers, Fred Eaglesmith, The Wood Brothers, and Eilen Jewell. She also provides backing vocals on multiple recordings – including Zoe Muth and the Lost High Roller’s 2011 release, Starlight Hotel, and 2012 release, Old Gold. Find more press here.
"Seattle’s liveliest country-flavored act since Neko Case." - Paul Constant (The Stranger)
“Call it lilt with an edge.” – Leicester Bangs (UK)
“Organic country…both delicate and edgy… For the lo-fi country enthusiast.” – Maverick Magazine
"Trick of the Eye is an easy rolling, urban country debut, right in step with the likes of Zoe Muth and Davidson Hart Kingsbery. Mills sings with a simple, unhurried cadence, with earthy tones that softly attune bassist Tom Parker's subtle harmonies with her own. Trick of the Eye rings with such sounds, rich in lyrical imagery and twangy pedal steel." - Seattle Weekly
Mills spent 2005-2010 leading the Americana band, The Starlings. She and Tom Parker also perform as an acoustic duo. Mills continues to push the edges wider to incorporate classic sounds of early rock ‘n’ roll, country and soulful songwriting. The band’s repertoire maintains an urban country style filled with melodic interplay and layers of pedal steel and electric guitar set against the backdrop of the Pacific Northwest.
In both her solo career and with The Starlings, Mills has garnered extensive reviews, chart-listings and favor both here and abroad. Trick of the Eye landed on Seattle Weekly’s Best Country Albums for 2012, and she was called by The Stranger’s Paul Constant, “Seattle’s liveliest country-flavored act since Neko Case.” She has supported such artists as Todd Snider, The Avett Brothers, Fred Eaglesmith, The Wood Brothers, and Eilen Jewell. She also provides backing vocals on multiple recordings – including Zoe Muth and the Lost High Roller’s 2011 release, Starlight Hotel, and 2012 release, Old Gold. Find more press here.
Maverick Magazine (UK) (Alan Cackett)
4 STARS (Sept/Oct 2012) - A smooth blend of country-rock brought to you by this Seattle singer-songwriter.
On her first solo album, The Starlings lead singer Joy Mills blends an array of country-rock influences with creative arrangements on this self-penned set. Accompanied by long-time partner Tom Parker (bass, harmonica, backing vocals), Lucien La Motte (electric guitar, pedal steel) and Paul Culala (drums), this talented singer-songwriter takes the listener on an interesting musical journey of life’s trials and tribulations. With Desperado-like sadness, opener "History Repeats" is a plea to get a hurting break-up over with as quickly as possible. The way the pedal steel weaves its sad vibe throughout adds to the overall pathos. The up-tempo "Tourist Town" also has some great steel work with some fine harmonies courtesy of Parker. He also provides the ethereal harmonica to the gorgeous strains of "Hey Valentine", whilst "Best Show In Town" takes the listener two-stepping into the local honky-tonk with a totally different point of view, as it looks at the lack of love from a lonely woman’s tearful perspective. Joy Mills’ vocals and writing improve with age and each subsequent release whether it be classy solo ones or band releases.
On her first solo album, The Starlings lead singer Joy Mills blends an array of country-rock influences with creative arrangements on this self-penned set. Accompanied by long-time partner Tom Parker (bass, harmonica, backing vocals), Lucien La Motte (electric guitar, pedal steel) and Paul Culala (drums), this talented singer-songwriter takes the listener on an interesting musical journey of life’s trials and tribulations. With Desperado-like sadness, opener "History Repeats" is a plea to get a hurting break-up over with as quickly as possible. The way the pedal steel weaves its sad vibe throughout adds to the overall pathos. The up-tempo "Tourist Town" also has some great steel work with some fine harmonies courtesy of Parker. He also provides the ethereal harmonica to the gorgeous strains of "Hey Valentine", whilst "Best Show In Town" takes the listener two-stepping into the local honky-tonk with a totally different point of view, as it looks at the lack of love from a lonely woman’s tearful perspective. Joy Mills’ vocals and writing improve with age and each subsequent release whether it be classy solo ones or band releases.
Neon Filler (Joe Lepper)
July 3, 2012 -- As with fellow Seattle-ite Shannon Stephens, Joy Mills treads the careful path between county and contemporary folk with aplomb. With Trick of the Eye, the latest solo album from The Starlings singer she’s cobbled together a fine collection of delicate, confident tracks. There’s a rock-savviness to her voice that gives shuffling songs such as "History Repeats" and the country guitar strewn "Boomerang" a real edge. Neko Case is perhaps the best comparison and is sure to be an influence of Mills.
Among our highlights on Trick of the Eye are the stomping "Tourist Town" and "Bound to Find You," which is nestled towards the end of the album and features some well worked pedal steel from Lucien La Motte.
It is a huge understatement to say there’s a lot of this kind of music in America but with Mills we’ve unearthed a gem in the pile of often standard and mundane country and folk CDs we get each month. Mills is especially likely to appeal to fans of the UK’s new wave of alternative country and folk acts such as Blueflint and Southern Tenant Folk Union. For more information visit’s Joy’s website here.
Among our highlights on Trick of the Eye are the stomping "Tourist Town" and "Bound to Find You," which is nestled towards the end of the album and features some well worked pedal steel from Lucien La Motte.
It is a huge understatement to say there’s a lot of this kind of music in America but with Mills we’ve unearthed a gem in the pile of often standard and mundane country and folk CDs we get each month. Mills is especially likely to appeal to fans of the UK’s new wave of alternative country and folk acts such as Blueflint and Southern Tenant Folk Union. For more information visit’s Joy’s website here.
_Seattle Weekly (Gwendolyn Elliott)
__ If You Like Zoe Muth, Check Out Joy Mills' Trick of the Eye
May 15, 2012 -- Springing from her Americana side projects Risky Liver and The Starlings--along with a gig singing back-up vocals on Zoe Muth's Starlight Hotel--comes alt-country singer-songwriter Joy Mills first solo release. Recorded and mixed by Conrad Uno (Fastbacks, Mudhoney, Sonic Youth) along with the Artist Support Program at Jack Straw Productions, Trick of the Eye is an easy rolling, urban country debut, right in step with the likes of Zoe Muth and Davidson Hart Kingsbery.
Mills sings with a simple, unhurried cadence, with earthy tones that softly attune bassist Tom Parker's subtle harmonies with her own. Trick of the Eye rings with such sounds, rich in lyrical imagery and twangy pedal steel. Lovely ballads like "Bound To Find You" and honky-tonking numbers like "Best Show In Town" round out the offerings and make Trick of the Eye a fitting listen for fans of Pacific Northwest alt-country from Muth to Neko Case.
Joy Mills plays Conor Byrne this Friday (5/18) as part of KEXP's Hood-to-Hood Challenge, along with Ghosts I've Met and Tiny Messengers.
May 15, 2012 -- Springing from her Americana side projects Risky Liver and The Starlings--along with a gig singing back-up vocals on Zoe Muth's Starlight Hotel--comes alt-country singer-songwriter Joy Mills first solo release. Recorded and mixed by Conrad Uno (Fastbacks, Mudhoney, Sonic Youth) along with the Artist Support Program at Jack Straw Productions, Trick of the Eye is an easy rolling, urban country debut, right in step with the likes of Zoe Muth and Davidson Hart Kingsbery.
Mills sings with a simple, unhurried cadence, with earthy tones that softly attune bassist Tom Parker's subtle harmonies with her own. Trick of the Eye rings with such sounds, rich in lyrical imagery and twangy pedal steel. Lovely ballads like "Bound To Find You" and honky-tonking numbers like "Best Show In Town" round out the offerings and make Trick of the Eye a fitting listen for fans of Pacific Northwest alt-country from Muth to Neko Case.
Joy Mills plays Conor Byrne this Friday (5/18) as part of KEXP's Hood-to-Hood Challenge, along with Ghosts I've Met and Tiny Messengers.
Oklahoma Lefty
June 10, 2012 -- Hailing from Seattle, WA, Joy Mills is an alt country singer songwriter with a sultry and sweet voice that is equal parts Natalie Merchant and Jenny Lewis. In fact, Trick of the Eye very well may be the best record Jenny Lewis never wrote/made. The record is stunning in its simplicity and gorgeous vocals. Each song has just enough instrumentation to drive the story without becoming messy or stepping over Mills' amazing voice. From start to finish, Trick of the Eye is an impressive record and a must for fans of Jenny Lewis, The Watson Twins, Natalie Merchant, and the 10,000 Maniacs.
songs:illinois (Craig Bonnell)
__Debut record from Seattle’s Joy Mills – Trick of the Eye
April 26, 2012 -- Seattle’s got something going on. Sure they were once known as home of the grunge. But of late when I think about Seattle I picture more cowboy boots and pedal steels than flannel. For instance they have the fine folky radio station KBCS, they have the venue The Tractor (“Music, beer & Liquor”), and now they have Joy Mills.
Joy Mills was the leader of the acclaimed pacific northwest americana band The Starlings and now she has her debut solo record out called Trick of the Eye. By and large the songs on here are low key whiskey weepers. In fact on the song “History Repeats” the combination of the sorrowful pedal steel and Joy’s breathy vocals create a pervasive sense of sorrow and heartbreak. Add Joy Mills to the small list of upcoming female alt country stars (think Zoe Muth and Eilen Jewell).
April 26, 2012 -- Seattle’s got something going on. Sure they were once known as home of the grunge. But of late when I think about Seattle I picture more cowboy boots and pedal steels than flannel. For instance they have the fine folky radio station KBCS, they have the venue The Tractor (“Music, beer & Liquor”), and now they have Joy Mills.
Joy Mills was the leader of the acclaimed pacific northwest americana band The Starlings and now she has her debut solo record out called Trick of the Eye. By and large the songs on here are low key whiskey weepers. In fact on the song “History Repeats” the combination of the sorrowful pedal steel and Joy’s breathy vocals create a pervasive sense of sorrow and heartbreak. Add Joy Mills to the small list of upcoming female alt country stars (think Zoe Muth and Eilen Jewell).
Real Roots Cafe (Fred Schmale)
(Translated Dutch-to-English by the author)
Aug. 20, 2012 -- Joy Mills is a singer-songwriter from Seattle, delivering her debut (solo) CD, Trick of the Eye. Before, she was the front woman of Americana-band The Starlings. We know Joy as background singer for Seattle-based singer Zoe Muth on Zoe’s latest CD, Starlight Hotel. Her music on this fine CD she calls “urban country”, and country it is for sure. All twelve songs are written by Joy, they tell us finely constructed stories of – mostly – relations. Her writing is beautiful, she likes to use metaphors like, for instance, in “Think of You and I”: I am the river, lean and strong. I hold the belly boats, carry motion faster. I am devoted to the night, when shadows merge, sing a dirge, think of you and I. The band playing on the CD swings nicely – guitarist Lucien LaMotte on his electric guitar sounds like Albert Lee in Emmylou’s Hot Band of long back when, he too plays a great pedal steel. We hear Joy on acoustic guitar and – of course – on vocals, Tom Parker sings along and plays bass, Paul Culala takes care of the rhythm on drums and percussion.
Trick of the Eye by Joy Mills is a lovely country-CD. The songs are great, their melodies are fine, the variation is a plenty, from waltz via mid-tempo to up-tempo and the accompaniment is impeccable. I’ve listened to the CD many times with great joy, the CD will be in my CD-player many times in future, along with the CD’s of her kindred spirits Zoe Muth and Eilen Jewell.
Aug. 20, 2012 -- Joy Mills is a singer-songwriter from Seattle, delivering her debut (solo) CD, Trick of the Eye. Before, she was the front woman of Americana-band The Starlings. We know Joy as background singer for Seattle-based singer Zoe Muth on Zoe’s latest CD, Starlight Hotel. Her music on this fine CD she calls “urban country”, and country it is for sure. All twelve songs are written by Joy, they tell us finely constructed stories of – mostly – relations. Her writing is beautiful, she likes to use metaphors like, for instance, in “Think of You and I”: I am the river, lean and strong. I hold the belly boats, carry motion faster. I am devoted to the night, when shadows merge, sing a dirge, think of you and I. The band playing on the CD swings nicely – guitarist Lucien LaMotte on his electric guitar sounds like Albert Lee in Emmylou’s Hot Band of long back when, he too plays a great pedal steel. We hear Joy on acoustic guitar and – of course – on vocals, Tom Parker sings along and plays bass, Paul Culala takes care of the rhythm on drums and percussion.
Trick of the Eye by Joy Mills is a lovely country-CD. The songs are great, their melodies are fine, the variation is a plenty, from waltz via mid-tempo to up-tempo and the accompaniment is impeccable. I’ve listened to the CD many times with great joy, the CD will be in my CD-player many times in future, along with the CD’s of her kindred spirits Zoe Muth and Eilen Jewell.
Written in Music (Ella-Milou Quist)
(Translated Dutch-to-English by Math Heijen)
Aug. 7, 2012 -- After playing five years with the Starlings, a country-folk band from Seattle, Singer-songwriter Joy Mills decided to start a solo-career, and not without merit. Trick of the Eye is her first solo-album, and is packed with lovely country songs. Lovely is also her voice, as it is pure and crystal clear. She is also a very talented songwriter and poet. The songs one by one are very touching and accompanied by her acoustic guitar in a very tasteful way. The pedal-steel and electric guitar of Lucien LaMotte are beautifully interwoven through the songs. The songs are easy to remember and after listening to the CD a few times, you can easily sing along. One song that stands out for me is Hey Valentine, on which Mills is accompanied by her partner in life, Tom Parker, on harmonica. This song by the way reminds me of Gretchen Peters, who presents her songs in a similar way. Another influence that you hear clearly in Mills music is Johnny Cash. In Boomerang as in When The Arrow Leaves The Bow you can hear typical Cash chords. Especially the last song, which is also the last song of the CD, reminds me very strongly of Walk The Line. Trick of the Eye is a beautiful and pure album, without any glitter or glamour. It all comes down to the vocals and instruments, without overdubs, strange experimental sounds or complicated twists. It is simple, with good compositions, and every musician on the album can be fully appreciated this way. A little gem!
Aug. 7, 2012 -- After playing five years with the Starlings, a country-folk band from Seattle, Singer-songwriter Joy Mills decided to start a solo-career, and not without merit. Trick of the Eye is her first solo-album, and is packed with lovely country songs. Lovely is also her voice, as it is pure and crystal clear. She is also a very talented songwriter and poet. The songs one by one are very touching and accompanied by her acoustic guitar in a very tasteful way. The pedal-steel and electric guitar of Lucien LaMotte are beautifully interwoven through the songs. The songs are easy to remember and after listening to the CD a few times, you can easily sing along. One song that stands out for me is Hey Valentine, on which Mills is accompanied by her partner in life, Tom Parker, on harmonica. This song by the way reminds me of Gretchen Peters, who presents her songs in a similar way. Another influence that you hear clearly in Mills music is Johnny Cash. In Boomerang as in When The Arrow Leaves The Bow you can hear typical Cash chords. Especially the last song, which is also the last song of the CD, reminds me very strongly of Walk The Line. Trick of the Eye is a beautiful and pure album, without any glitter or glamour. It all comes down to the vocals and instruments, without overdubs, strange experimental sounds or complicated twists. It is simple, with good compositions, and every musician on the album can be fully appreciated this way. A little gem!
Alt Country Forum (Martin Overheul)
(This review is loosely translated from Dutch to English online - so there are some amusing translations.
_May 21, 2012 -- After a remarkable passage in the unjustified, underexposed Starlings – a country-folk group from Seattle who between 2006 and 2010 released three very enjoyable albums and an EP, is singer and songwriter Joy Mills excitedly starting her own shop.
'We have peacefully disbanded, working hard on other projects," Mills says about the end of the era and the beginning of her solo career has gone on. The recently published Trick of The Eye is more than a fine shoot off the starting blocks. Joy Mills is in the fortunate enough to have a crystal-clear voice that we feel would colors with Neko Case. You may try on a next album? Now state Mills themselves in for the backing vocals, what her triggers at least as good as the echo of the lead singers.
An excellent singer, Joy Mills is also a gifted songschrijfster, with an emphasis on the second part of that word. For example, “Think of You & I” is not so much a lyric as it is a poem, in which the poet does not frustrate by such a thing as a rhyme scheme: I am the ocean and the sky / A marble full of clouds / and I had never noticed / How it swings a melody / and kindness swells, make me smile / think of you and I.
Pure poetry, just as pure supported by the almost depressingly sounds of Lucien De La Motte's pedal steel. Even such a number where we do not get enough of, “Hey Valentine,” a deceptively simple waltz, harmonica that under more thanks to the tightening of Tom Parker go unnoticed in your memory. But we are fully hit amidships by “Bound to Find You,” a delicious country ballad in which drummer Paul Culala no touch to many shows and Joy Mills our heart straight in two breaks. Rarely do we have that with so much satisfaction to happen.
'We have peacefully disbanded, working hard on other projects," Mills says about the end of the era and the beginning of her solo career has gone on. The recently published Trick of The Eye is more than a fine shoot off the starting blocks. Joy Mills is in the fortunate enough to have a crystal-clear voice that we feel would colors with Neko Case. You may try on a next album? Now state Mills themselves in for the backing vocals, what her triggers at least as good as the echo of the lead singers.
An excellent singer, Joy Mills is also a gifted songschrijfster, with an emphasis on the second part of that word. For example, “Think of You & I” is not so much a lyric as it is a poem, in which the poet does not frustrate by such a thing as a rhyme scheme: I am the ocean and the sky / A marble full of clouds / and I had never noticed / How it swings a melody / and kindness swells, make me smile / think of you and I.
Pure poetry, just as pure supported by the almost depressingly sounds of Lucien De La Motte's pedal steel. Even such a number where we do not get enough of, “Hey Valentine,” a deceptively simple waltz, harmonica that under more thanks to the tightening of Tom Parker go unnoticed in your memory. But we are fully hit amidships by “Bound to Find You,” a delicious country ballad in which drummer Paul Culala no touch to many shows and Joy Mills our heart straight in two breaks. Rarely do we have that with so much satisfaction to happen.
