May 2016

The Joe Milligan Project “Anticipation”
CD Review by Jennifer Lane
Iwas at the Joe Milligan Project’s recent CD release
party at ProStar Studios in St. Petersburg.
After hearing the song “Cherry Stones, Little
Necks and Chowders” I bought the latest CD from the
band on the spot. The song is a compelling portrait of
a time and place that immediately brought me back to
many happy days roaming the beaches of eastern
South Carolina, with the stinging salt air and hearty
meals of clams/red potatoes with Old Bay seasoning,
newspaper spread out on wood plank tables.
And portraits – story songs – are what I feel the Joe
Milligan Project does so incredibly well. Whether it’s
the warning by way of a tale of the “Mexican Cowboy”
that comes from the Garden State, or the gripping
gorgeousness of “Don’t Let the Devil Steal Your Joy”,
this collection of songs primarily penned by Joe Milligan
delivers.
“
The musicianship is also top notch – I remember talking
with Joe at the CD Release party and he said he was
looking for the best musicians to surround himself, and
he’s found them. The opening mandolin riffs of “I
Know You” grab me every time, as does the stunning,
languid guitar on the cd’s title track, “Anticipation”.
Comparisons with Bob Dylan are inevitable and welcome,
at least for me. Joe’s voice is Dylanesque but
remains uniquely his own. And this may be a radical
thing to say, but I think his songwriting is reminiscent
(but not derivative) of early Dylan. You can judge for
yourself, dear reader.
Eclectic is a good descriptor of their sound – acoustic
folk/country/with a bit of rock ‘n roll driving force
coloring some tunes. Their cd is covered with the fingerprints
of Chris Harmon, a founding member of The
Joe Milligan Project, who died in 2015. According the
band’s press, without Chris there would have been no
Joe Milligan Project.
I sincerely hope you’ll give this polished yet accessible
disk a listen for yourself soon. It’s terrific.
The Joe Milligan Project is a diverse cast of musicians
whose credits include a career with the Florida Orchestra,
shared billing with the Grateful Dead and Jefferson
Airplane, and live appearances at popular local venues
including Skipper’s Smokehouse and The Ale and
Witch. The Joe Milligan Project has also regularly appeared
on the Florida Folk Show on WMNF.
Joe Milligan (guitar and vocals), Bill LaGrandier (percussion),
Amanda Gerttula (violin), Russell Roush
(bass), Douglas Lichterman (lead guitar) and Mandy
Frick (background vocals).
www.joemilliganproject.com
”
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