By now, I'm sure you've already committed the name to memory: Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson.
Miles Anthony Benjamin Robinson. Wait. Miles Robinson Anthony Benjamin. Huh? Miles Robinson Benjamin Anthony!
You'll have to make an acronym out of it to keep it straight. MBAR.
Sure as heck has a lot of names, don't he? And multi-syllabled ones at that. I read somewhere that it has something to do with being honest with himself, being pure, showing his true colors. And I'm thinking: Dude, if you want to be simple and all, why not just go with Miles Robinson? Or maybe just Miles? I mean, when I want to get serious, you don't see me whipping out Stephen Anthony Torres Mejias. If anything, I think it seems a little pretentious.
But enough about that. Miles Benjamin can sing. He cries, he fills a sidewalk crack with so many colorful words. He does so with soul, completely letting go and driving it home, as though every show, every song, is his last. I like that. It's the way it should be. One listen to "The Debtor" and I was hooked. You can hear it on
his Myspace page. If that doesn't do it for you, visit
Stereogum and listen to "Buriedfed." And if you end up wanting more, stop by
NPR and check out "Woodfriend."
The self-titled debut album is due out on the first of July.
