Upside Downside

Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, native Scott Miller first gained attention as part of Knoxville roots-rockers the V-Roys, who briefly recorded for Steve Earle's E-Squared label. On Upside Downside, the follow-up to his 200l solo studio debut Thus Always to Tyrants, Miller once again acquits himself admirably as a quintessential heartland rocker and the closest thing the "Old Dominion" has to its very own Earle or John Mellencamp.

Backed by his crackerjack band, the Commonwealth, Miller delivers a superb mix of blistering, often Virginia-specific rockers ("Raised by the Graves") and acoustic, country-tinged forays ("Amtrak Crescent" and "Ciderville Saturday Night," both featuring newgrass master Tim O'Brien on mandolin), tempering each with sobering self-realization, hard-fought wisdom, and self-effacing humor.

A fine groove-driven instrumental called "Chill, Relax, Now" and a couple of frenetic, humorous rockers, including "It Didn't Take Too Long," add to the fun. --Bob Allen