From Shelley Miller and the BCC's self-titled debut EP.  Noisy, pretty, moody indie-rock from Chicago.  Full album available at http://shelleymillerandthebcc.bandcamp.com . SMBCC = Shelley Miller, Christopher Elam, Chris Geisler, Brennen Chouinard.  Produced by Christopher Elam.  Mixed by Christopher Elam/John Abbey.

White Moon

Written/recorded February 5, 2015 for the 2015 FAWM songwriting challenge.  Lo-fi one-mic demo.  Words/music by Shelley Miller. Guest percussion by felines.

You Pull Me Through

Written Feb. 5-6, 2015 for the 2015 FAWM songwriting challenge.  The prompts for this song were the phrase "The bell and you beneath" (from a Loteria card) and writing in an odd time signature (the verses are mostly in 7/8 - with a couple 9/8 lines, and the chorus/breaks are in 6/8).  The demo is rough as heck(tracked vocals/guitar live on one mic).

The Bells And You Beneath

Written in 45 minutes on Feb. 6, 2015 for the 2015 FAWM songwriting challenge.  This was written for a song skirmish (1 hour songwriting challenge) with the prompt "On My Grave".  Thumb piano and vocals.  Will be re-recording this with many more layers, but here's the first sketch.

Ladder

Written/recorded Feb. 11, 2015 for the 2015 FAWM songwriting challenge.  Written/recorded in one hour - Recording is first take/one mic.

Your Love

Written/recorded February 13, 2015 for the 2015 FAWM songwriting challenge.  Written/improvised/played/sung by Shelley Miller. Extra vocals/percussion by Mister Elvis (cat).

Instrumentation: banjo, xylophone, floor tom, electric bass, bowed electric bass, hand bells, jingle bells, ankle bell chain, shaker, 2 quarters in a metal cup, ceramic bowls, paper/cellophane envelope, vocals, feline

The Sound Of My Voice

Sleepy little instrumental song written for the FAWM 2015 songwriting challenge.  

All music written/performed by Shelley Miller.

Instrumentation: backwards thumb piano loop, melodica, xylophone, jingle bells, egg shaker and voice.

Slow Morning

Written for the 2015 FAWM songwriting challenge.  Playing with layering and interweaving different vocal parts.  This song was written, in part, to fulfill a challenge to write about the symbolism of a peach tree - Peach trees, in some traditions, symbolize immortality and creative energy...which is one of the themes I'd intended to work with this February...which is why this took forever to actually write.

Lyrics:
All things pass away, what you love will stay when you're gone
Love pass through you, sing your glorious song
Peach tree in a field of flowers, love is how we live forever

Love Pass Through

a prayer for the sleeper.  gardens of ice.  crack the words underneath.  a way out.  a way in.  hollow your bones until they fill with dreams.

* * * 

Instrumentation:  metal bowls, ceramic cups, thumb piano, glockenspiel, doumbek, drum kit, prepared snare drum, shakers, scrub brush, knitting needles, pedals

Written/recorded March 2015.  All music written/played by Shelley Miller.

While You Were Sleeping

Singer-songwriter, more or less nice person.  Fearless scaredycat.  Front-person for Chicago indie band Shelley Miller and the BCC.  Charmingly awkward.

shelleymiller

Popular tracks