Three Mile Limit: Floating Off Somewhere Else

Seven Days - April 16, 1997

          - Vertical Horizon, Jackopierce - and Burlington's Strangefolk - started pretty much this way: Competent enough acoustic guitar strumming, heartfelt lyrics in a folk-rock vein. Except Three Mile Limit starts out with four guys that sound like two with occasional overdubs. Sparse, uncomplicated production - recorded at Eclipse - emphasizes the essential strength of this band: Chris Titchner's winning, boyish vocals and great harmonies from the two guitar guys, Mike Lawrence and Tom Williams. Pat Doyle keeps the groove going with tasteful percussion - more prominent in uptempo tunes like "Wendy" and the jagged "Let Me Play The Fool" and laidback during the ample gentle balladry. Lawrence and Titchner have their names on most of these 13 songs, but Williams does good by the folk-bluesy "Hysterical Bliss" which remindes me of the '60s acoustic rockers Lovin' Spoonful. Three Mile Limit show tremendous promise in this debut, and in the age of the singer-songwriter, they can't go wrong with three of 'em. Indeed, Floating Off Somewhere Else strays only towards the sentimental, but overall is an appealing debut from guys that could definately hold their own with electric guitars, should they ever decide to hit the switch.

-- Pamela Polston

VOX - June 4, 1997

          On the heels of three cassettte-only recordings comes the debut CD from Burlington's acoustic rock group, Three Mile Limit. The self-produced release, Floating Off Somewhere Else (Bridgefolk Records, 1996), is made up of 13 originals with each member contributing equally to either the lyrics or the arrangements. Originally a trio of CVU grads, formed during the summer of 1994, Three Mile Limit picked up percussionist Pat Doyle, who after a couple of gigs joined the band permanently last year. With his nicely placed syncopated rhythms emanating from congas, shakers, and washboard, it's hard to imagine the band without Doyle. Sensitive without being maudlin, the lyrics follow a narrative path, rarely succumbing to overly repetitve refrains. When the chorus does break through it is enlivened with strong three-part harmonies shared by lead vocalist Chris Titchner and guitarists Tom Williams and Mike Lawrence. "Hysterical Bliss" pushes the sappy barometer a bit, but with its whistling accompaniment and lines that end with an ironic lilt, it appears the group has found the humor in its otherwise over-the-top delivery.

-- Aimee M. Petrin

WMHB DJ Newsletter - Fall, 1996

          You won't hear people say, after hearing Three Mile Limit's debut album, that it is good "for a student band". In fact, it's a professional quality recording. If this comparison is not too obscure, the music's energy and the genuine presence of the lead singer, Chris Titchner, is reminiscent of UNH's Thanks To Gravity. Rhythmically it's tight and compelling, and gives one hope that among the contemporary obsession for distortion and other manipulations of sound, the acoustic tradition will continue to forge its way not only in folk, but also in progressive rock. The way these guys work with harmonies makes you jump up from your chair and dance around yelling "YES!".

-- Andrew Morse, Head DJ

The Colby Echo - October 31, 1996

          Three Mile Limit is one of the groups that manages to achieve a full, cohesive, spatial sound without the heavy studio engineering that many bands require. "Floating Off Somewhere Else" is their new album and it happily blends a folk acoustic texture with impassioned lyrics that have a modern sense of urgency. The album, as a whole, seems like it could have been recorded at an impromptu acoustic coffeehouse performance. The songs are performed entirely without affection and, taken as a whole, have a driven, yet reminiscent quality. This is due in part to the guitar which workhard, but do not overpower, as is so often the case with other albums. Most of the songs cover the usual subjects of romance and romance gone bad with a degree of disenchantment thrown in for good measure. The most melancholy song on the album is "More", which deals with the pitfalls of romance and life. However, the lyrics are very clever and avoid sounding shlocky and instead are simple and plaintive. The song "Hysterical Bliss" hardly has the feel of bliss, but instead resonates with the sorrow of loss. "A Thousand Time Good-bye" is the most folksy sounding song on the album, but the lyrical style is a reminder that the music is current. The group may owe a very small percent of their music to groups such as Simon and Garfunkel, but the sound is certainly that of the nineties. If the guitars were electric, and they were much louder, the group could pass for an alternative band playing in a club, like an early Bush. This group, however, has such a folksy feel that it's hard to imagine them thrashing a club. The group's sound suffers some from the overly inconsolable tone that bands composed of young musicians usually show. To listen to many such bands often brings on need for a few prozac doses, but Three Mile Limit escapes this by a fair margin.

--Christopher Dacus