Compiling twelve previously released tracks from his last four solo album with two new unreleased tunes, Heavy Years is meant as an introduction for people who previously missed out on this heartland Americana turned orchestral-pop rocker. Albums such as Kiss It Goodbye, The Silver Line, Wall to Wall Sessions and Living In the Aftermath show Chris Mills finding new ways to express himself. The new tunes “All Our Days and Nights” and “Heavy Years” attack things with his usual touch of Jonathan Richman. Mills’ voice aches with pleas for hope among the hopeless. “What do you do now?” and “When hope is gone all is lost” are the heartbreaking refrains. Elsewhere “Suicide Note,” with its spirited horns, teams up with Kelly Hogan. “Escape from New York,” recorded live to two-track, swells around the horn section as well. They turn up the heat while Mills sounds like he’s holding on for dear life. “Nightmare At 20,000 Feet” has an understated polish. “Signal/Noise” builds its orchestration over seven-plus minutes. Let Mills be overlooked no more.