B. Mills
The Life and Times of an Eternal Optimist
(Brandon Mills)

A sly swaying acoustic guitar and beat, with the wonderful voice of B. Mills slips us into “And We Rise,” the very strong, hip, and inventive opener on The Life and Times of an Eternal Optimist.

The sweet big ballad, “Conflicted,” gives us plucked piano, Mills’ wonderful vocals once again, and some distorted guitar that is so perfectly placed. What a great tune this is. You can’t listen to it without wanting to dance with the love of your life. It’s a sexy, rockin’ ballad of constructed maturity, and comes only four tunes in!

“If U Will” has got some great echoed guitar and organ parts informing an almost reggae-like fun tune.

“Slow Motion,” is piano/keys torch-song territory. There rer a lot of big heavy drums here, and wonderful pleading in Mills’ vocals, a true good use of his talents and what is apparent this far in, wonderful production from Mills and his co-producer Vincent “Invincible” Watson.

By the time it comes, we really have been waiting for the last tune. It’s pretty much the full breath of everything that has come so far on The Life and Times of an Eternal Optimist. “Life Is Beautiful,” is pretty much a declaration of what I assume Mills most wants to say as the ‘eternal optimist,’ he is stating here that he is in this wonderful album’s title. The mix of the vocals, the big drum beats, the keys, it all ends a great listen.