It’s not always the best idea to go into business with relatives. However, in the case of Silver Lake, Los Angeles indie-folk band Miner, all that familial familiarity is put to good use in the form of tight, tuneful melodies and closely knit harmonies.
Miner began with husband and wife Justin and Kate Miner and Justin’s brother Jeremy Miner, joined by drummer Tobias Urbanczyk, who may or may not be an actual family member but probably feels like one by this point. Their debut album ‘Into The Morning’ (2014), which was self-released, led to a big national tour where they performed with bands like Sir Sly, Lord Huron, The Eels, Cayucas and Typhoon.
On their new album, Tunaki (released in February), they worked with Phil Ek (Modest Mouse, Fleet Foxes, Band of Horses, The Shins) in Seattle. The album sounds adventurous and expansive, with breathless melodies and those exuberant vocal harmonies that propel the songs to soaring heights. And as there’s nothing like a bit of family drama to provide added impetus to a creative project, during the recording process Kate was awaiting results from a blood test that would tell her if she was a carrier of Huntington’s Disease, a fatal genetic condition. The good news is that she’s fine and tested negative, and the sense of urgency and focus shows in this finely honed, lush music that blends the vigor and ‘citizen of the world’ quality of Local Natives with the traditionally-minded warm indie folk of The Lumineers.
They’re currently touring, and will be hitting the East Coast toward the end of May. Catch them if you can! In the meantime, you can purchase Tunaki on iTunes.
Spring 2016 Touring/Festival Dates
May 15: Austin, TX @ Empire Control Room
May 17: Dallas, TX @ Gas Monkey
May 18: Nashville, TN @ The High Watt
May 19: Louisville, KY @ The New Vintage
May 20: Asheville,NC @ Sol Bar at New Mountain
May 22: Washington, DC @ Black Cat
May 23: New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge
May 24: Boston, MA @ Great Scott
May 25: Philadelphia, PA @ World Cafe Live
May 26: Pittsburgh, PA @ Cattivo
May 27: Muncie, IN @ Be Here Now
May 28: Chillicothe, IL @ Summer Camp Music Festival
May 31: Chicago, IL @ Subterranean
June 1: Madison, WI @ The Frequency
June 3: Milwaukee, WI @ Club Garibaldi
June 5: Minneapolis, MN @ Cedar Cultural Center
June 9: Reno, NV @ Peppermill Casino
June 10: Reno, NV @ Peppermill Casino
June 11: Reno, NV @ Peppermill Casino
June 18: Davis, CA @ Davis Music Festival
June 24-26: Rothbury, MI @ Electric Forest Festival
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