The Morning Light – Self Titled
The Morning Light strikes again with the release of their debut album. Consisting of bright vibrant tracks and mellow sombre tunes, it is a concoction of great sounding music. Much like a blend of fast paced powerpop with hints of earthy undertones, it is their originality that truly shines throughout. I was completely satisfied with all the included songs of old as well as the wealth of new material. With simple and wholesome music, The Morning Light is like a pot roast on a Sunday night, just perfect for the occasion.
What exactly has changed in this album as compared to their first EP, The Sound Of Love? While the same inviting quality is reoccurring, there is obvious maturity in their musical talent. Using a variety of instruments the music suddenly became livelier and fuller. Right off the bat, The Morning Light shows off their new sound with Wake Up! Littered with infectious upbeat mannerisms, it is a perfect introduction to the album. Besides having fasted paced and exciting instrumentals of the usual variety (guitar, bass drums), there are moments of trumpet, keys and the works. More importantly the vocals remain top notch; perfectly pitched, warm and welcoming. Wake Up! tops the more vibrant end of the spectrum, whereas The Morning Light also offers a variety of mellow tracks.
When you get to songs like Virginia or Follow Me Home, we begin to see the other aspects of The Morning Light come into play. Virginia is a down to earth track, which retains a lot of upbeat qualities. Sounding much like a lullaby, it is essentially a serenade that isn’t exactly sad, but happy. The vocals are the key factor in this song that give off that excellent mellow vibe. With high pitched vocals, and a very soft style of singing, the song becomes refreshingly trance-like. Virginia is a great example of how The Morning Light steps out of the norms of a modern pop rock band, to produce music that’s different yet presumptuously pop. Follow Me Home on the other hand does have the qualities of the other songs with its high-action sound; however there is a serious demeanour underlying the song. Not exactly a mellow track nor an upbeat one, it is high in intensity but sombre in nature.
The album plays host to many other exciting gems for The Morning Light. Track eight, Honest (Apologies Endless), is a just a classic song, that is incredibly catchy and meaningful. Definitely a notable track, it includes one of the nicest chorus lines on the album. I also enjoyed the deliciously tex-mex instrumentals to start off the track and thought it added to the mystique of the music. The vocals are again superb and I absolutely love the fast-paced delivery of the verse transitioned into a soulful and energetic chorus. Honest is definitely something a little out of the ordinary and makes me appreciate The Morning Light that much more.
The Morning Light should be checked out for their extravagant pop or their earthy rock. It’s their indie outlook on pop rock that’s definitely new and exciting for me as a listener. While I’ll admit I don’t normally listen to this brand of music, it might just be a case of never hearing a sound like The Morning Light. The EP was something entirely different, and this album really flourishes and shows the growth and maturity of the band. A fantastic debut, it was completely unexpected, but fulfilled on all levels of expectation.
Check out their Myspace for official tour dates and album info.
The Morning Light – Honest (Apologies Endless)
Tags: album