Your Love and Other Liesby Anonymous

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January 25, 2002: Miller's solo debut finds his roots-rich Americana already in full-flower. This self-produced, self-recorded album has an amazingly rich sound, not in small part due to Miller's expressive vocals and twangy guitar playing. He neatly combines the twang and swing of pre-Nashville Sound country with the personal, singer/songwriter approach pioneered by Waylon and Willie. Having played with outsiders whose songwriting flirted with mainstream success (Lucinda Williams, Jim Lauderdale), Miller produces music that avoids Top-40 pop concession without relegating itself to ''alternative.'' Instead, he and wife Julie pen moving songs that take in flavors of country, rock, folk and pop.

His backing band, including Gurf Morlix on bass, Donald Lindley on drums, and Al Perkins on steel guitar provide restrained support that provides subtle shape to the songs. Julie Miller provides terrific harmonies throughout. Their take of ''Hole in My Head'' (recorded by co-writer Jim Lauderdale three years later for his own ''Whisper'' LP) has a wonderfully bluesy edge, and their cover of ''You're Running Wild'' displays the sort of intertwined harmonies made famous by the Louvin Brothers. Tom T. Hall's ''That's How I Got to Memphis'' proves a perfect vehicle for Miller's soulful vocals - much as Otis Redding's ''That's How Strong My Love Is'' would on the follow-up LP.

With the hindsight of two more solo albums, a duet LP with his wife, and numerous recordings as part of Emmylou Harris' band, it's easy to see the nearly bottomless reservoir from which Miller draws. This first drink is a potent one.