Don't Look Down...
Some questions after my initial listen to ‘Evil’, taken from James Vincent McMorrow’s new album ‘We Move’:
1. What is this? Is this what world music sounds like?
2. Wait… is this a… Club Banger?
3. Is his voice real? Is it? Because it doesn’t sound like it could be? I mean, can anyone have a voice this lovely? Can they? Is it actually possible for a human being to have a voice this pure and soulful and Good and reside here, on planet Earth, among the rest of us commoners, us low-lives, us human-shaped piles of dirt, sounding like bricks rubbed against cheese graters by comparison? Because surely not?
4. Is it OK to cry now?
Ok, but, seriously, joking aside- this is a very good song. A good song in the same way that the Taj Mahal is a good building. It’s soulful, it’s atmospheric, it’s haunting. It’s also genuinely very interested, feeling more inspired than anything we’ve yet seen from James VM and is brimming with a raw, heartfelt honesty that is apparent from the very first listen. I urge you, if you do anything today, listen to this song.
Katie Hayes
James Vincent McMorrow is a singer and songwriter from Dublin, Ireland, who’s new single How To Waste A Moment, was released on 10th August. Having made his UK TV debut on BBC Two’s Later… With Jools Holland in May 2011 and receiving a European Borders Breakthrough Award in recognition of his debut album ‘Early In The Morning’ in 2012, McMorrow is gaining quite a following for his music.
McMorrow’s most recent release fosters a laidback energy and beautifully balanced sound that creates an intimate portrayal of the singer/songwriter, accompanied by McMorrow’s smooth vocals, the track is a perfectly engineered piece of acoustic come indie music. Opening into a gentle melody underpinned by tight drums, the song allows the listener to enter the world of McMorrow, and sets a precedent for the relaxed vibe that plays out throughout the song. The melody within the track rolling along creating a constant fixture that is built around by the various sounds that are brought in, adding further dimensions to the track and allowing the music to develop into a perfectly subtle soundscape, beautifully encompassing the narrative of McMorrow’s music. The song subtly builds bringing in deeper and denser sounds, creating tension beneath McMorrow’s vocals who’s own voice adds to the gentle and subdued sound of the track. McMorrow builds an exquisite atmosphere that indulges the listener, producing a raw energy that creates an ethereal quality throughout the track, enticing the listener and keeping the interest within the song.
Overall the track is an excellent example of acoustic/indie music, and McMorrow’s vocals are a beautiful accompaniment to the perfectly balanced sounds within the song. This track is a further notch that can be added to an already growing and impressive CV for the Dublin based musician. His vocals and sounds coming together in a perfect marriage, each balanced to create a magical soundscape that is both relaxing and interesting in equal measure. The song itself is an excellent example of McMorrow’s abilities, both through his singing and musical capabilities.
Matthew Kay
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