Tom Faia & Kate Miller have been performing and recording together for about four years now. The partnership has resulted in three CDs that have generated a lot of radio airplay. The duo has seen some success with their last CD, Stay Away from the Flame, which charted on the AMA charts in the top 200 and they’ve been on the Roots Music Report, Top 50 Americana and Country charts for the last 10 months.
Faia himself began his career as a solo artist and songwriter for A&M Records before moving to Nashville where he wrote for a number of publishers. Then, just four years ago, he decided to team up with local singer Kate Miller. Kate had performed with many local bands in the past before taking a break to raise a family. When Faia and Miller met, he knew right away that he had found the voice that would really help put his music out there. Her warm vocals offer up just the right accessibility and energy and their dynamism is something audiences love. Pretty much the rest is history.
Now they are releasing their next album Risk It All For Love. The record is filled with some great energy and vibes. The rock flavors on this track point to some Americana, some blues and country, but what their sound definitely points to is some feel-good tunes that will get you moving around in no time!
Risk It All For Love gets started with “Gonna Woo My Baby Tonight,” where some lively percussion starts off this track. Faia’s sandpapery vocals sound really great here. Loving the gritty bluesy vibes here and I enjoyed the burst of energy here. I liked this feel-good number that proved to be very fun-loving. Had a great time listening to this happening song. The harmonica is a great addition here and I loved the energy coming from this particular instrument. Some mournful harmonica tunes come in on “Risk It All For Love.” The music grows more adamant with some lively percussion. The acoustic sounds reminded me of rock music from the ‘70s. Loving the flavorful vibes here. Some acoustic guitar reels in a very light-hearted vibe on “The Frog Song.” Next, Faia’s vocals flits in and out of this quirky and whimsical track. Loving the eccentric vibes of this song which also had some comedic flair. This proved to be another feel-good track that reminded a lot of Disney.
Some more harmonica arrives at the start of “Pound My Heart Against The Wall.” Miller’s vocals come in here as clear as bells. I think she imbues tons of mood and feeling into her singing which I thought was great. Next, some energized percussion adds more zest to this song, which makes for a great listening experience. Some more harmonica sizzles up the sultry “I Don’t Really Know Why My Baby Loves Me.” Faia’s vocals are sung with gusto as he belts out the blues. The background vocals also sounded really great. I liked how Faia isn’t afraid to get down and dirty with the blues here and it made for a great gritty sound. Some chord progressions from the acoustic guitar come in on “We’ll See The Light.” I think this track was a nice change of pace from the previous tracks. I liked the genuine display of feelings and heartfelt delivery.
On “Bad Boy,” some percussion dances at the start of this track. Miller’s assured vocals light up this song. Her vocals are accompanied by the sounds of the acoustic guitar and harmonica and this gave off a very gritty take. The blues come alive here and I was loving this blend of blues, lounge and jazz on this track. Off to a sauntering groove, comes this moving display of country and folk on “You Give Me Love.” With just the acoustic guitar supporting him, Faia sings with feeling on this track. I liked this slow and simple ballad that though simply rendered, definitely felt emotionally powerful. On this moving duet, both Faia and Miller contributed their vocals to great effect. Faia sings about his cat Mac on “My Little Pal Mac.” I liked this quirky and whimsical track that felt great to listen to. This was another feel-good track that I enjoyed from the duo.
Faia and Miller definitely got something here. Their dynamite performances are just right to sway audiences to get off their feet and move around to the fun-loving tunes just like that. I liked how this record showcases both Faia’s and Miller’s talents and moving artistry. Faia contributes on acoustic guitar, vocals and harmonica while Miller contributes on vocals. The album also includes collaborations with Jesse Diaz on bass and Vince Sanchez on percussion and drums. All in all, this proved to be a very talented array of musicians and singers as I couldn’t get enough of this record. Be sure you give this a spin today!