Kevin Morby – City Music – Album Review

Out 16th June on DEAD OCEANS

Kevin Morby is just about to release his fourth solo album ‘City Music’ unto the world. It is the follow up to the highly acclaimed Singing Saw, released just last year. If you include his four releases with Woods and two with The Babies this is album number ten, and all done before the age of 30. Morby does not rest on his laurels.

This album is billed as a counterpart to Singing Saw and largely continues with a similar mix of sounds and vocals. Opening track ‘Come to me Now’ has misty keyboards and dusted drums, along with his own wistful voice.

‘Where do you go when you die, is it pretty and slow, is it up real high, I don’t want to know’ – Come to me Now

Crybaby picks the pace up a bit, with the feel of a lost Pixies track, carried on its crisp bass line. It is one of the better tracks on this collection. Aboard My Train starts with piano and vocals, before building over time ending up a jangling guitar song. It is another song about a train, the mode of transport that most inspires!

The title track City Music has long instrumental sections, before the vocals rejoin the party with their simple refrain ‘Oh, that City Music, Oh, that city sound…’. It is nearly seven minutes in length, an epic by his standards and goes in many directions over its length, changing in tempo and feel through subtle adjustments. Night Time is a suave and diverting affair, that brings you in uncomfortably close. Downtown’s Lights is a gentle final track, carried on vocals and percussion for the most part.

Morby has been quietly building a following and has become a darling of the critics over recent years. Will this be the album that tips him over the edge into mainstream success? It is doubtful as it lacks anything approaching a crossover hit. It’s another strong collection from an artist building a formidable back catalogue. A very enjoyable slice of Americana.

Track List:
1. Come To Me Now
2. Crybaby
3. 1234
4. Aboard My Train
5. Dry Your Eyes
6. Flannery
7. City Music
8. Tin Can
9. Caught In My Eye
10. Night Time
11. Pearly Gates
12. Downtown’s Lights

Aboard My Train