Tom Faia & Kate Miller Album "Plug In" Review.

Artist: Tom Faia & Kate Miller

Album: Plug In

Released: 2025

Artist Website: https://tomfaiakatemiller.com/

Tom Faia and Kate Miller return with their sixth album Plug In. It is an 11 song set that is full of the cool vocal harmonies and fun songwriting that they have become known for within the Americana community. This release stretches from a traditional Americana vibe and features some straight blues and Santana influenced cuts, which I suppose is the very definition of Americana music. It embraces lots of different influences from a wide variety of American roots music making for well balanced and diverse listening. 

It's Only Love You Steal was a standout at first listen. It is bouncy, with a pocketed groove that sits at the perfect tempo. This track features Kate Miller on vocals and a very competent band backing her up. A cool slide guitar breaks up the verses with taste and some sweet playing. Kate's vocal is strong with a very memorable hook. The production on this track serves the song perfectly. The vocal layering is done with a razors precision and the mic placement on the slide guitar amp could not have been better. The drums sound crisp and pop in the mix. Clearly some attention went into the details of this cut.

An acoustic country cut Livin' On The Edge of Love was a pleasant surprise. A straight country tune with a train beat was certainly unexpected. Tom Faia's vocals are relaxed with gravel that always sounds natural and never pushed. If music didn't work out for him he would've had a great radio voice to call Chicago Cubs games. In true Americana fashion the song starts firmly planted in Nashville and lands somewhere in Laurel Canyon in the mid 70's. Evolving seamlessly through its short but sweet lifespan.

I find my ears gravitating to the mellower side of this release, none being more easy on the ears than Talk To Me. Musically it is as relaxed as Pink Floyd and equally dreamy. A duet serves Faia and Miller quite well. The raspy quality of Tom Faia's voice is perfectly counterbalanced by the pristine feminine approach of Kate Miller. This cut is a shining example of the Yin and Yang that this pair seems to execute effortlessly.

This 11 song release embodies everything that I have come to expect from Faia and Miler. It is difficult to define because it has roots in so many styles, that they are able to meld into one thing that is uniquely their own. It is not so unique that the influences are invisible, but camouflaged just enough to keep it interesting. It is this quality that I think makes this pair so listenable. There is enough familiarity that the listener isn't struggling to understand the vision, but the music is done in a way that keeps them from being a knock off of their influences. It sounds as if Tom Faia and Kate Miller are quite comfortable in the musical landscape they have carved out for themselves, which then in return makes for a very comfortable listen.