Milagro Saints

“Heartfelt, funky, and just a little bit trippy in the spirit of
Donna The Buffalo. That’s how I’d describe the
Milagro Saints’ latest release, “Chance & Circumstance”.
These veterans of the roots music scene have transcended
the alt.country crowd they sprang from into a band that
creates Americana that’s deceptively modern. Whether it’s
the mandolin riffs setting a easy going roll or a well timed
accordion riff at just the right moment, they know how to
pay homage to traditional music without being limited by it.”
- Americana Music Show

"With careful textures and strong melodies, the songs certainly stick on Chance & Circumstance"…environmental call to action "Don't Give It Up" deserves its seven minutes. This activist epic is built on a masterfully solid groove"
- Independent Weekly

A congenial jam-band vibe and the warm-spirited songs of guitarist/vocalist S.D. Ineson make for a set that grabs the ear quickly and serves up some instantly memorable tracks. Ineson's unassuming but always-attractive melodies are buoyed by the Saints richly textured, broad and breezy grooves; the band's three fret-board players meshing masterfully with keyboardist Lee Kirby. The chorus hooks of Gonna Rain Again and These Things "About You" are about as radio-friendly as they get but this is definitely a disc where each song is attention-worthy. 5 STARS - Roots Music Report

"Soul-folk pioneers Milagro Saints open
and just might steal the show...
Without Natalie Merchant the 9,999
Maniacs can't re-create the chemistry that once made this band tick."

Christopher Treacy
entertainment writer Boston Herald - Boston Herald

"Dylanesque Populist grit
& Van Morrisson-style
urban soul"
Seth Rogovoy-The Beat

- Berkshire Eagle MA

"Sweet Rugged Folk"

- Urban Tulsa Weekly

"A breakthrough
group" - Woody Guthrie Folk Festival

"A constant feature of the songwriting is is a superb tuneful literacy"
Philip Van Vleck (Feb 8, 2007) - Metro Magazine

Milagro Saints strike a note of Majesty with "Child Of Peace"
David Menconi (Dec 6, 2006) - News & Observer

Milagro Saints are a five-piece folk rock outfit from Raleigh, North Carolina; their blend of sweet country folk put me straight away in mind of Grateful Dead, The Byrds and Neil Young.  Bright, contemporary and 'cultishly' commercial 'Warmsoulsunshine' is rich, warm, exciting and extremely fulfilling.


Milagro Saints keep it cool and relaxed but manage to conjure up a real blissful and exciting sound that seamlessly blends all the subtle nuances of nu-country with all the graceful undercurrents of acoustic folk; theirs is a masterful variety of the form, lovingly conceived, stunningly performed and seriously contagious. Their respectful melding of acoustic and electric sounds is quite brilliant and sublime vocal harmonisation adds real depth and tenderness to the mix.   There are eleven great Milagro Saints originals here and one impressive cover of Van Morrison's 'And It Stoned Me' - bountiful indeed!!
Milagro Saints also 'splice' in some really heavenly keyboard work that lifts and decorates the underlying instrumentation. Mixing old with new, traditional with contemporary, Milagro Saints have concocted a wonderfully vibrant but somehow mellow and expressive sound; layering fiddle onto organ, blending electric with acoustic guitars, carefully slotting in soaring lap steel and crying slide guitars, harmonica, clarinet, didjeridoo and much more, Milagro Saints fill the 'dynamics' pot to overflowing - but nothing spills out, nothing is wasted and not one instrument is even faintly superfluous to the requirements of the overall mix - totally spot-on!!
Milagro Saints' 'Warmsoulsunshine' is modern country folk music at its absolute best; twelve brilliant tracks adding up to one mighty fine and very impressive album - brilliantly conceived, stunningly crafted, faultless execution, flawless production - altogether, a quite stunning album!! - Toxic Pete Review Site U.K.

Milagro Saints mix up their folk, rock and country influences...with a lyrical emphasis on the ideals of the '60's generation, and with plenty of hooks to
hang the message on...The title track with its hammond and harmonies,
is pure cosmic country rock. - Leicester Bangs U.K.

Our Rating: 7 out of 10
"This laid-back collective who revel in mid ‘60s and early ‘70s Americana have a strange and fascinating range of musical backgrounds, ranging from involvement with TVT signings The Jack Rubies to immersion in the NY new wave scene and working with Joey Ramone and members of Talking Heads. While their backgrounds may not show through on this 12-track offering, their influences are clearly to the fore.

It’s classic Americana all the way, down to the retro-looking cover art. Vocalist and guitarist SD Ineson’s Bob Dylan obsession (10 of the tracks were even recorded on Dylan’s birthday) is tempered by heavy hints of Neil Young, Van Morrison and The Band. Ineson also wants to draw attention to his appreciation of Jack Kerouac. When it comes to the Beats, I’m more of a fan of Burroughs and find Kerouac self-indulgent, disorganised and turgid. Thankfully, Ineson is more interested in Kerouac’s positivity, and as such the songs, which possess self-explanatory titles like ‘Come on Down,’ ‘Warm Soul Sunshine’ and ‘River of Love’ are concise, upbeat and gently melodic rather than sprawling and aimless.

While I suspect that this kind of music makes more sense if one has at least experienced the America that isn’t so much a backdrop to these songs as the fabric from which they’re made, you have to give it to these guys for producing a record that’s unquestionably heartfelt and authentic. Actually, you also have to give these guys credit for producing a record: yes, in addition to the CD, there’s also a vinyl edition. And for that alone, they get my vote."
author: Christopher Nosnibor - Whisperin'& Hollerin' Roots Mag Ireland

"This album is a grower. Like ivy, it sits there in the background growing all over you and taking on a life all of its own...There is some fine guitar playing here. The folk rock of ‘A Million Times’ introduces a searing lap steel courteousy of Smitty, and ‘Closer (one desire)’ drives along with a chugging acoustic. ‘Raphael Road’ indicates their ability to write catchy choruses and utilises Joyce Bowden’s melodic background vocals." - Americana U.K.