This Is A Photograph

Like Paul Simon's Graceland, Morby centers this disk around a pilgrimage to Memphis, TN. In it he expands his style to include the city's great soul, gospel and R&B roots into his folkish sound. In addition to 'soul city', he explores his family, his love (Waxahatchee) and his heroes (Jeff Buckley, Otis Redding...) in it. Sonically the disk is more expansive that his previous releases, including lush down tempo tracks with arrangements of strings, horns & harp in addition to his full bore rock band. Either way the production deftly accents his laconic Dylan-eque vocal styling.

FCC: #7, #9 (note: bad words have been removed from this disk)

RIYL: Kurt Vile, Jeff Buckley, Lou Reed

1 This Is A Photograph - hard driving guitar & sax in this exploration of his youth & family, builds to chaotic ending (fast, 3:52)*

2 A Random Act of Kindness - simple organ/vocal opening slowly builds to a deliciously beautiful swirling finale (med, 4:15)***

3 Bittersweet, TN - countryish duet with angelic Erin Rae backed by lovely slow picked banjo & fiddle (slow, 4:14)***

4 Disappearing - spooky guitar/harp opening & trippy overdubs with references to Jeff Buckley who drowned in Memphis (slow, 3:28)**

5 A Coat of Butterflies - homage to JB with ethereal opening including horns, harp & lovely chorus. (slow, 6:41)**

6 Rock Bottom - fun, full bore rocker with fast guitar opening (fast, 3:25)

7 Five Easy Pieces - Morby croning over sweet orchestration (med, 4:12) FCC: 1:32 on original

8 Stop Before I Cry - drop dead beautiful love song to beaux Katey, aka Waxahatchee, with divine harp, sax & flute (slow, 4:59)****

9 It's Over - sumptuous arrangement with horns, backing vocals & strings all dancing around each other (med, 5:22)** FCC 1:51 on original

10 Goodbye To Good Times - sweet slide on this homage to the soul greats (med, 5:15)