Blueburst shares ‘Kick My Tires’ EP

Based in Atlanta, Blueburst is the artistic banner of musician Craig Douglas Miller, a veteran guitarist and vocalist who’s reignited his career after years in the shadows. At 50, Craig is proving that creative expression can be brought to life at any point, breathing new life into a journey he once thought was behind him. His story is one of perseverance, rediscovery and an ever-present passion for music that refuses to fade.

His musical path began in the 90s with his band The Reach, a promising project that earned major label interest but ultimately never materialised into mainstream success. The disappointment sent him into a two-decade hiatus, during which untreated depression and writer’s block kept him from picking up his guitar. However, fate had other plans; a chance connection with guitarist Marty Willson-Piper, known for his work with The Church and Noctorum, became a turning point. Through mentorship and collaboration, Marty helped reignite the spark Craig had lost, leading to the birth of Blueburst.

Driven by this renewed sense of purpose, he began recording a full-length album, crafting a sound that blends lush, guitar-driven alternative rock with echoes of the 80s and post punk influences. The result was Significance, his debut LP, released in October 2023, an album that introduced the world to Blueburst’s layered, expansive style, marking Craig’s exciting return to the scene.

Following Significance, Miller continued to build momentum with a pair of new singles and now, he revisits one of the highlight tracks from the album with his latest release, the Kick My Tires EP. This new offering takes the fan-favourite track and reimagines it through multiple versions, including a new remix, an instrumental version and a stripped-down acoustic take aptly titled the “Nebraska” rendition.

“These new versions each bring a unique dimension to the song, which was already one of my favourites on the Significance album,” he shares. Opened by the new remix “Kick Mix,” the bold collision of striking drums, bold guitars and impassioned vocal performance collide to deliver a powerful sonic punch that reframes the song into a storming new mix that retains all the swagger and memorable writing of the original while injecting a potent new energy that runs throughout.

With the original version following, the familiar twang of tumbling guitar notes and pulsing kicked drums is met with the grooving riff as the arrangement bursts into an uptempo indie rock anthem with Craig’s impactful voice ringing out above. Brimming with storming alternative aesthetic and stacks of overlapping vocal layers, “Kick My Tires” is a truly anthemic track that hits just as hard now as it did upon its initial release.

With the instrumental version, the intricate production and stellar musicianship is put on full display as the layers of guitars, stomping drums and slick bass grooves come together to deliver a gripping jam that works exceptionally well as a slice of instrumental rock music. Peppered with wailing notes, raucous grooves and a scorching solo, in the absence of the vocal tracks, all the instrumental elements come alive in this epic outing.

Closing the EP with the “Nebraska Version” of the song, Blueburst presents the most stark contrast of the song, eschewing the electrifying vigour of distorted guitars and crashing drums to re-imagine the song in a delicate acoustic setting. With Craig’s compelling vocals backed by acoustic guitars, his songwriting is given a new platform to soar on this dusty acoustic rock rendition that distils all the spirit and intensity of the original into a timeless stripped-back outing.

Listen to Kick My Tires below