Taking a Chaucerian name, and a folk mantle, The Millers Tale are a pleasant surprise in the Indie world. These guys have been doing their intimate duo show around town for the last two years or thereabouts and this their first recorded outing contains both naitivity, and a sense of purpose. They stick to their guns and It pays off.
With artwork similar to a Leonardo's Bride scene, the eight tracks shimmer and blend. Harmonies is the first thing you notice on the opener Orange Planes. It's a simple song but it allows for many a listen and they do another version of the song to close this mini-album with harmonies and melody. The laziness of the acoustic instruments is appealing and it all comes into sharp focus when needed. Desperately is a fragment of emotion realised in crystalline form. John Maclean's guitar weeps perfectly under Bec's sad vocal.
Recorded here and partially in New York there is a wonderfully minimal vibe to the release. The drum loop in Flail is cute and reminded me of Everything But The Girl. Another comparison could be made of The Millers Tale to those perfect popsters The Sundays. If Bec's vocal was as high as Harriot Wheeler's the two would be inseparable. On Morning Time, the harmonies and upbeat feel actually persuade the listener to hit redial for a quick second listen. These guys have that ability at times to give you a shiver up your back which is no small feat for an acoustic duo.
Bec and John should be proud of their first release having played live and taken their time to get into the studio. Ln the tradition of The Lighthouse Keepers and other indle folksters, The Tale keep the flame burning.
Dan Lander, Juice Magazine 2001
This debut from Sydney duo Bec Quade and John Maclean provides a wonderful platform to explore their acoustic, harmony-driven styles. Keeping things simple and only occasionally indulging in a few studio excesses (like a rhythm section), The Miller's Tale rely on great songs and sugar-sweet harmonies to carry them home. 7/10
John Shand, Sydney Morning Herald 2001
Folky melodic pop has been around for 35 years now, which, in the context of fickle music fashions, just about means it's timeless. In this style The Miller's Tale's Bec Quade and John Maclean write exceptional songs to tug at the heart even as the toes tap on the floor. Quade's voice is dreamy and seductive, and the backings, 'Flail' apart, are apt and lively.
