Ayla Miller, Some Super Silly Snappy Songs and a Few Works of Genius (Independent)

Ayla Miller - Some Super Silly Snappy Songs (Independent)The windy 12-word title pretty much says it all about Ayla Miller’s debut CD, an enjoyable collection of originals that were written as a pre-teen and teen. The budding, 15-year-old violinist/vocalist gets a little help from her piano-playing pops, virtuoso Amasa Miller, producer/violinist Neti Vaan and various other musician pals who create gorgeous arrangements worth the price of admission alone. Though Ayla’s instrumentals range from touching to haunting, don’t be fooled by her deceptively clever, kids-like lyrics. She may start out with simple thoughts, but she eventually zaps you with hysterical, bomb-dropping lines as she does on “My Father is Bald.” In the second verse, she critiques her own song from a former English teacher’s literary perspective of how it lacks a plot, narrative art and hero’s quest, and by the way, where’s the allegorical? On “Love Song for Georgie W,” she comments that the former president has been sleeping on the job but does it better “than a hibernating log.” No doubt the funniest performance arrives with “Keys Don’t Bother Me.” Even at the outset, she sounds stressed at the thought of those bothersome musical keys but works her way into a mock drama where she briefly loses her voice, goes through imaginary convulsions and sounds exorcised while still proclaiming “keys don’t bother me.” In this day and age of political correctness and being in touch with your feminine side, masculine side, whatever, Ayla Miller reminds you it’s okay to be in touch with your silly side too. In fact, it’s preferred.