Marc Miner


Vienna, Austria’s Marc Miner delivers a knockout collection of songs in his new album Smile While You’re Wasted. Miner’s sometimes sardonic lyrics, boastful delivery and endless charm give this Austrian country singer even more swagger. Calling himself outlaw country, Miner’s sneer gives the listener an enjoyable ride of pickup guitar riffs, shuffling percussion and some rip roaring fun. From the opening “Warm Welcome” to the midway “Sweet Codeine” and finally “Last Words”, Miner leaves tips his hat to the past greats but deliciously inserts his own brand of country in 11 fantastic tracks. 


 Enough of my gushing – let’s get to the songs. Miner, who has a deep voice with a curl at the end that shows off his accent, opens “Warm Welcome” with a fast-paced percussion and driving guitar arrangement. So many of the songs on Smile While You’re Wasted are presented with a fiery energy, the only kind you can capture if you’re a band that’s been gigging on the road for years.

In fact, the drums in “Warm Welcome” called to mind the beat of Roger Miller’s “King of The Road”. Miner really sets the stage with “Warm Welcome” and from there on out, it’s a ride that made me want to bring more and more of my friends along for the ride. Some of the bigger standouts include “Everything But Modest”, “Whiskey & Weed” and “Nothing Good ‘Bout The Way I Live”. In “Everything But Modest” Miner’s melodic tone sings when I smoke a fat one I get slowly unholy, so let’s be honest, I’m everything but modest. His baritone voice hovers over the sweet, amber-laced guitar. The music bed is lush with honky-tonk piano and that delightful, head-bobbin’ sway. 

“Whiskey & Weed” is the galloping sing along song you’ve been waiting for. We stomped our feet when Hank III was blasting out the radio, and by and by we all got stoned ‘till the moon got low. We had a ball, yeah even though things got out of control, but that’s the way we celebrated ol’ rock ‘n’ roll, Miner sings, his deep voice full contained. He continues in the chorus, whiskey and weed, got the devil in me, I swore of my ol’ creed for the promise to be free, here’s to whiskey and weed. The acoustic guitar hammers over the sound of the backbeat drums, the throbbing electric bass and the sweet electric guitar. 


In “Nothing Good ‘Bout The Way I Live” Miner continues his identifiable sound. His voice, full of grit and glory, sings mistakes on repeat…I gotta struggle in me…there’s nothing good ‘bout the way I live (repeats three times). His voice is bolstered by the faint, but poignant Muscle Shoals-like piano. The tempo is a bit slower in this track, but I loved that it shows a different, vulnerable side to Miner. He always sings with a lot of gest and self-depreciation. This one pierces the heart differently. It’s a charming wester ditty. As with all the songs on Smile While You’re Wasted, Miner’s undeniable talents are on full display. 

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Trace Whittaker
Newcastle-upon-Tyne
10/2020

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