home | reviews | obsessionland | misc | it was live | smirt | response  
 
 
Miracle Legion, "The Backyard"
Incas Records (1984)
Six songs of pure heaven. The first record by Miracle Legion, a Connecticut rock phenomenon that never quite made it to the big leagues. But it was never their fault (blame Rough Trade and Morgan Creek if you must). Whatever the causes of their trapped-in-limited-exposure-ville, this first record shines. It stays relatively mellow, though "Closer to the Wall" evokes some of the high-energy and grittiness that their live performances always imbued into their otherwise sad and beautiful pop tunes. The music is innocent and lush in a way that doesn't quite evoke early R.E.M (though they were often accused of sounding like the boys from Athens, GA, and way back when Michael Stipe was a confessed fan of the Legion). Mark Mulcahy's voice warbles as he sings stories of being young or being old or being nice or just being. The songs remain moving to me over a decade after I first got a copy of this record. Ray Neal's guitar lines hover over the chord changes in interesting ways without getting weird, and the bass and drums respectively hold everything together but in a way that's unique without being ostentatious. I can't praise this record highly enough. Totally great.
[CCL, 2/22/99]

Songs on "The Backyard" The Backyard Butterflies Closer to the Wall Say Hello The Heart is Attached Stephen, Are You There?

 
 
 
 
Miracle Legion, "Surprise Surprise Surprise"
Rough Trade Records (1986)
The second record by the CT quartet, this time on the larger (and better distributed) Rough Trade Records. It opens with the rockin' "Mr. Mingo", and doesn't slouch after that. This record is a little less quiet than "The Backyard", and musically maybe it sounds a little less thoughtful (or introspective), but it is never the less a great record. Again, Ray and Mark do what only they can do, writing great happy-sad rock songs with interesting riffs and progressions. The energy of the songs here is a little higher, again evoking their live presence, but on record Miracle Legion made it a point to be a little bit more pinned down, a little more serious, than they were on stage. If I start listing my favorite songs I'll just run down every track on the album. Again, I highly recommend this one. Give it a listen with headphones on and the lights down low. And see if "Little Man" don't move you.
[CCL, 2/22/99]

Songs on "Surprise Surprise Surprise" Mr. Mingo All For The Best Paradise Truly Storyteller Country Boy Crooked Path Everyone In Heaven Wonderment Little Man

 
 
 
 
Miracle Legion, "Glad"
Rough Trade Records (1986)
This one's basically an EP, the first side containing live tracks recorded in New York (and featuring members of Pere Ubu on some songs), while the second side contains a few new studio tracks. And it's the new stuff that kicks butt: "Heart Disease Called Love" is totally phenomenal, indescribably great. A sad semi-country tearjerker: "I'm goin' out with a bang/ And a.../ A heart disease called love". "Glad" rocks the house as well, an up tempo number. The live stuff found here is OK. It _does_ give a feeling for the energy of their live performances, but it's no substitute for being there. Overall, maybe the price of admission is high, but the rewards will last you a long time.
[CCL, 2/22/99]

Songs on "Glad" Heart Disease Called Love Glad Hey Lucky

 
 
 
 
Miracle Legion, "Me & Mr. Ray"
Rough Trade Records (1988)

Miracle Legion went through some tough times, and fans like myself went through some agonizing moments when rumors about the band breaking up were circulating. The band did break up, kind of, with only Mark and Ray left. But instead of calling it quits they headed out to The Artist Formerly Known as Prince's Paisley Park Studios, and turned out the folk-rock-y Me & Mr. Ray. This one is acoustic only, with Ray on guitar and Mark singing and playing the occasional harmonica and recorder. This record has its peppy numbers and its dirgier ones, but it still says "Miracle Legion" all over and when many of these songs became electrified (with the addition of a new bass player and drummer), they proved to be just as pliable live as the rest of the ML catalog to date.
[CCL, 2/22/99]

Songs on "Me & Mr. Ray" The Ladies from Town And Then? Old & New Sailors and Animals If She Could Cry Pull the Wagon You're the One Lee Even Better Cold Shoulder Balcony Gigantic Transatlantic Trunk Call

 
 
 
 
Miracle Legion, "Drenched"
Morgan Creek Records (1992)
When this record came out, I thought that the time had finally come when ML would hit it big. They had a new bass player and drummer (both of whom, by the way, totally kick ass), a new record label (backed, theoretically, by all the cash of Morgan Creek Films), and it seemed, a new lease on rock-n-roll life. I saw the band perform this whole record top to bottom at a club in New Haven before it was released, I was blown away by their energy and by many of these new songs...Among them, "Snacks and Candy" a catchy pop ditty that happens to be about something somewhat socially charged: hate crime in New York City; "Everything is Rosy", a seething proclamation that maybe everything is not; and "Out to Play", a fantastic jangly number. This album has a bigger, more produced sound (producer: John Porter). It's hard to find (now that Morgan Creek is defunct), but if you're turned on by any of the earlier records this one will float your boat, too.
[CCL, 2/22/99]

Songs on "Drenched" Sooner Sea Hag Snacks and Candy So Good Everything is Rosy With a Wish Little Blue Light Out to Play Velvetine Waiting Room Maybelline

 
 
 
 
Miracle Legion, "Portrait of a Damaged Family"
The Mezzotint Label (1997)

The last (as far as we know at this time) Miracle Legion record. And it feels like a last record, containing a fair portion of Miracle Legion live favorites that had never yet found their way to a record. Among them are "Homer", a song about a kid and baseball (a lot more powerful than it sounds described here); "I Wish I Was Danny Kaye", about just what the title says; and "Madison Park", a reverie of seeing all there is to see in a park on a summer day. There are other fantastic new numbers here, too: "Gone to Bed at 21", "You're My Blessing", and "Accidently on Purpose" among them. 14 tracks in all, and it makes a great curtain call (if indeed that's what it turns out to be).
[CCL, 2/22/99]

Songs on "Portrait of a Damaged Family" You're My Blessing Screamin' Homer Say I Had a Lovely Time La Muerte di Gardenier Accidently on Purpose Please 6 Months Madison Park I Wish I was Danny Kaye K.K.M. 30.06 (You Better Watch Out) Good for Her Gone to Bet at 21

 
(You can still get old Miracle Legion records through their own independent label which is currently also releasing new stuff by the band members. Their web site, The Mezzotint Label, is at: http://www.mezzotint.com )