Blue Pony (HighTone, 1997)

Julie Miller covers wider musical ground, from quiet ballads and Celtic-tinged folk to twangy country and pop. Her girlish voice strikes an unusual contrast to the maturity of the lyrics, but it's this vulnerability that carries the truth of her highly-personal and emotionally charged tales of love, loss and recovery. The album closes with the devastatingly touching title cut and "Last Song," marrying an adult's wistful memory of childhood with a wish to retain its faith.

The album features the Millers' harmonies. The instruments stretch a bit more, from the menacing bass and percussion of "The Devil is an Angel" to Phil Madeira's melancholy pump organ on the title track. Buddy's guitar lights sparks the album, including the rhythm propelling Julie's "Dancing Girl."