Miles to Dayton - Jon Preddice (cello, guitar, horn, vocals), Krista March (vocals), Dave March (bass, guitar, vocals), Rob Caniglia (drums) and Leanne Preddice (violin, vocals).

By Kris Walsh

There was a time when I would spend countless hours online, sifting through the refuse that makes up the bulk of Long Island music, in desperate hope of stumbling across a band of truly talented musicians. My aim was partly to keep myself occupied – and partly to take a gander at what the future of music had to offer. But, there were so few that showed promise, and those that did have potential had more than a handful of problems to fix about their music before they could really be taken seriously. It was really quite depressing. And, unfortunately, I became jaded, presuming that all there was to the local music scene was long dead and gone. But, after listening to Miles to Dayton’s new CD, “Rise”, I have come to understand that there truly are some rare jewels to be found, out there – you just need to look in the right place.

From beginning to end, “Rise” displays an excitingly sophisticated understanding of music - their crystal clear and professional-quality pop-country ballads have a sense of majesty that goes largely unchallenged by many of today’s top artists. Not only does the band impress, but it leaves me in shock and awe. Strong instrumentally all around, combined with expert layering and composure, Miles to Dayton shows outstanding ability on this new album. This may not be much of a surprise to those who know the band’s history, as their previous album, “A Long Way Back” (released in 2005), is also acclaimed for greatness. Thankfully, two years later, the members of Miles to Dayton still know how to stand and deliver.

“Rise” starts off with a song called “Eyes Light”, a rather soft piece that nonetheless displays a tremendous amount of musical strength. “Don’t Be Afraid” and “Simple Plans” are other examples of great musical pieces that can leave a large impact on a listener, through quiet and simple (but well-thought-out) means. These songs painted strong images in my head, making the experience go beyond mere sound, inducing active thought and feeling. This is how music should be.

When trying to identify who influenced Miles to Dayton, I must admit I’m completely clueless. So, I apologize, dearest reader - all I can seem to do is attach a genre to the band and say “you have to listen to understand.” If you’re into hard, heavy, fast-driving, I’m-peeling-out-of-this-grocery-store-parking-lot-because-I’m-a-total-dirt-bag music, this isn’t for you. But, this album, while classy and sophisticated, is also down-to-earth. Of course, while the band seems to have some fairly strong ties to folk and country, they aren’t afraid to experiment a little with some highly explosive jams. Throughout the album, you’ll hear strong use of acoustic guitars, violins, and flowing percussive beats with such brilliant texturing, that you’ll forget that this band’s popularity is only on the local scale.

But, I must admit, this isn’t my kind of music. A great deal of it is too “pretty-sounding” for my personal tastes – but I’m sure Miles to Dayton can live with that. However, it does rouse a thought: I don’t know if many people are truly ready for this band’s sound, which should certainly be a concern, if they intend to bring their music to the next level. The music on “Rise” is solid and mature, leaving no doubt in my mind that it’s something older generations will treasure greatly. And, perhaps that’s good enough. But, as far as the younger crowds go – I can’t imagine them enjoying this kind of music. Maybe they’re not the target audience in this case, but if you ignore the largest consuming bodies of the music industry, you’ll end up being ignored in return. I really hope this isn’t the fate of Miles to Dayton – they’re far too great to fall after producing a great work of art like “Rise.” A band like this, with ambition, can leave a mark on the world. A band like this is among the ones that deserve to succeed.

Check out Miles to Dayton on the web.

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