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Written by Jason Snyder, posted by blog admin
The
sprawling title track sets the tone of Sarah Morris 3rd LP, Hearts in Need of Repair. Coproduced by Morris herself along with her band
mates and Eric Blomquist, the gliding acoustic guitar work, tapping beats, deep
bass lines, rural-kissed twang and Sarah’s gorgeous, breathy lead vocals weave
a web of folk-country influences that reckon of old soul Americana. Top-tier songwriting crafts noticeable,
atmospheric peaks and valleys with the honey in Morris’ voice ringing the most
out of every single note, especially that glistening chorus. It’s an excellent introduction to an album
full of brilliantly penned tunes.
Kicking
the pace up a few notches with a tumbleweed-kicking guitar trot, uptempo rhythms
highlighted by a walking bass lick and brisk snare taps “Good at Goodbye”
immediately snatches up your attention.
Subtle electric guitar flourishes, lap steel and three-part vocals
harmonies conjure up a rich, distinctly western vibe that’s peppered with
plenty of variety. The smoky blues of
“Cheap Perfume” sinks into a low slung groove with hearty lead vocals, thicker
guitar work and meditative rhythms. This
opening part gives way to another uplifting country groove; shaking up the
pacing and atmosphere with an unexpected instrumental curveball as Sarah’s
lyrics muse on the loss of love while using interesting original metaphors for
the subject. “Helium’s” uplifting
wordplay and higher-register vocal delivery offers up a unique contrast to the
slow pacing, minimalist rhythms and almost Hawaiian-inflected guitar work (it
too expressing much while utilizing only a few notes and chords).
“Falling
Over” is pure country. The kind of
country that they never play on your average country music stations these
days. A gritty, raw vocal performance,
multi-tracked guitar licks, tough drumming and knife-edged bass riffs make this
one of the album’s best cuts and one of my personal favorites. Cut from a similar cloth as its predecessor
and heavier still, “Course Correction’s” intro could be straight off of the
Outlaws’ Hurry Sundown
masterpiece. With the most liberal use
of electric guitar on the album, this composition places rollicking country rock
n’ roll right up front. The melancholy
“Empty Seat” is on the complete opposite side of the tracks; gloriously
embellish laidback, Bob Dylan-style folk influences.
The
grinding, riff-y “Shelter or the Storm” smacks hard n’ heavy in a flurry of driving,
smoldering blues. Alternating
acoustic/electric guitars double down on the riffs while Sarah’s sidewinder
vocal melodies and the dive-bombing rhythms catch a snarling, nasty 70s swing
by the tail. Morris croons hypnotically
on the all acoustic “Nothing Compares,” leaving the album to close with a pair
of dark country gems (“On a Stone” and the intricately layered
“Confetti”).
Hearts in Need of Repair thrives on stellar songwriting, varied instrumentation and Sarah Morris’ golden vocal chords. There’s not a bad track in the bunch and that’s rare with risky songwriting that doesn’t stick to simply one standard and call it a day. Sarah and her band can make you want to rock out, weep, dance and live. This is emotionally rich music and well-worth a dedicated listen.
Hearts in Need of Repair thrives on stellar songwriting, varied instrumentation and Sarah Morris’ golden vocal chords. There’s not a bad track in the bunch and that’s rare with risky songwriting that doesn’t stick to simply one standard and call it a day. Sarah and her band can make you want to rock out, weep, dance and live. This is emotionally rich music and well-worth a dedicated listen.
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