Originally published by L.S. Media. June 7th 2011.
Occasionally, a live album comes along that fires the imagination and leaves you with a warm glow inside. Miles and Erica Live 2010/11 is an acoustic album of fantastic simplicity that showcases the talent of The Wonder Stuff‘s Miles Hunt and Erica Nockalls and gives a wonderful insight into the artists’ mind when they tour with a back catalogue and strip it back to the point where the songs take on a different life and a different vibe, this gives any band a more human face and the final result is one of superb achievement.
Peppered with songs from Miles and Erica’s own unique performances, a handful of songs from The Wonder Stuff’s catalogue and a clutch of little anecdotes from Miles, the album has a warmth that makes the best pub roaring fire seem cold in comparison.
Recorded at two fine venues in The Half Moon, Putney and Cox’s Yard, Stratford-Upon-Avon, the album kicks off with the tracks with the magnificent Manna from Heaven and Back on the Charm Offensive. From the outset, Miles’s voice, unhindered by the electric hum of machinery is captured perfectly and is only enhanced by the exquisite violin playing of Erica.
Throughout the album Erica shows why she is rated so highly. Her reading of tracks such as The Cake, aided by some classic lyrics by Miles, leaves a lump in the throat and a longing to play the album over and over again just to hear her play sounds that are melancholically excellent.
One of the finest songs is Stay Scared, Stay Tuned. Introduced by Miles as a song he wrote when he finally decided to get rid of his television as he figured it might prolong his life if he wasn’t permanently answering the 24 hour news channels back.
For those that have been fortunate to catch these two artistic musicians, the album is a wonderful addition to a collection of memories of any gigs that they attended, to those that come across Miles Hunt and Erica Nockalls via a friend or by accident then it should be considered a highlight of live recorded music that you won’t regret buying.
Ian D. Hall