Her Sweet Time

Upon listening to your self-titled album, I was reminded of that intimate, provincial sound similar to that of artists like Joni Mitchell or the Indigo Girls. This can definitely be heard in the pastoral "Eastboundtrain". With its crisp acoustic tone and soothing harmonies this is exactly the type of melody that is sure to make an impression on first time listeners. I must say, though, that "Hanging Out the Wash" is probably my favorite track off of the album. This lighthearted narrative warms the heart with its carefree banjo atop subtly driving percussion - the type of song that makes you roll down the windows on a summer afternoon. - Ryan Hoffer, Shut Eye Records

Beth was one of the 1st prize winners in 2005 for her song "Alison and Me" http://www.narrativemusic.ca/insc.html - International Narrative Song Competition

"Her Sweet Time gave us an evening of great music & humour & excellent entertainment of the sort we just don't get here in Merritt very often. Her Sweet Time matched our "bohemian" expectations to a T"
- Kim Leclair

Giving up the house, the job and worldly possessions to hit the road as professional folk musicians may seem like a flight of fancy, but with grit a Victoria duo is ready to abandon the stable life for their musical passions.
"We put out a CD but the hardest part was finding time to tour", said Beth Miller, one-half of what she calls "an out and out Canadian folk music" band Her Sweet Time.
On a summer trip to a California folk festival, Miller and her partner Caroline Shooner had an epiphany: sell the house, grab the dog, hit the road full time and follow the dream.
"We were inspired to shift from the sedentary lifestyle to the troubadour form," Miller said. They may well be the most educated, and unlikely, entertainers to hit the folk circuit. Shooner is a medical doctor, Miller a sociologist.
As a precursor to their upcoming cross-Canada tour in October, the duo will be playing selections from their self-titled album at the Dancing Bean Coffee Company in Chemainus this Thursday.
What could be described as Victoria's answer to the Cowboy Junkies, Miller's lyrics are influenced deeply by her travels in the Arctic and free spirit lifestyle of her youth.
"The songs could be anything from about hitchhiking adventures, what it means to take a risk and live authentically or even the War on Terror," she said. "The topics are across the board."
While some of their reflections may be weighty and philosophical, their story-telling style keeps the audience engaged and atmosphere light-hearted.
"It's important to keep a sense of humor, and to incorporate tales of adventures when playing," she said.
Even the name Her Sweet Time exudes a whimsical irony. It is supposed to signify the female nature of the group, and speak to women in general. "Women like the idea of taking their sweet time, but it's a luxury few have," Miller said.
Miller and Shooner met almost a decade ago at university in St. John's Newfoundland, where they tempered the pressure of academia by performing as musicians. After school was wrapped up, they traversed the country, but established roots during the last years in idyllic Victoria. Miller said they loved the salt-of-the-earth people of the East, but the lighthearted culture of the West Coast made moving an easy choice.
"There is a different feeling out here that connects people to the landscapes," she said. "The West has more of a lightness of being."
But not until the fall of 2003 did they translate their gifted storytelling set and transcendent harmonies to a full-fledged CD release. The 10-song album was recorded in their home with the same austere style of live gigs: Miller strumming the guitar and Shooner picking the banjo and their voices resonating tales of coast to coast Canada.
"We are big fans of the simple. It highlights the lyrics and gives the same feeling people would have if we were playing live," Miller said.
Miller doesn't have illusions that making a living as a musician will be easy, but said neither have any regrets about taking the road less traveled.
"We have hopped off the treadmill and are doing exactly what we want to do."
- Edward Hill, The Ladysmith-Chemainus Chronicle, Aug. 24th, 2004