Written by David Shouse, posted by blog admin
Minnesota
songstress Sarah Morris unleashes a potent doozy of an album in the form of her
3rd release Hearts in Need of
Repair. Fantastic songwriting,
knockout instrumentation and Morris’ soaring voice are the glue that holds
together an upper echelon recording that doesn’t have a dull moment in
sight. There’s groove and soul to spare
throughout Hearts’ 11 rousing tracks
with each tune being worthy of endless repeat plays.
The
title track is a punchy, catchy opener drenched folk influence with just the
right amount of countrified acoustic guitar licks and Sarah’s skyward pushing
vocals. Morris also handles some of the
acoustic guitar playing alongside regular band mate Thomas Nordlund while Aaron
Fabbrini contributes exotic pedal steel.
Fabbrini carries over his smooth playing to the next cut, “Good at
Goodbye.” Lars Erik Larson interjects some
percussive smacks thanks to his locked on work on the snare and the band’s
regular producer Eric Blomquist ladles on a third acoustic guitar for a very
vibrant, full sound that creates multiple melodies to follow.
“Cheap
Perfume” enters on a dusky, scrappy blues grind that eventually alters its
mindset into up-tempo country. Andrew
Foreman’s electric bass grooves furthers the high noon shootout atmosphere as
Morris’ vocals utilize husky lower registers that only highlights her many
vocal personalities. The wispy “Helium”
moves at a slower clip and glows like the dying embers of midnight pyre with
beautiful acoustic guitars glide above the supple support provided the bass
lines. The stringed instruments
construct a rock solid foundation for Morris to paint hymnal vocal melodies
upon.
A
duo of harder, more rockin’ tracks appear with the back-to-back attack of
“Falling Over” and “Course Correction.”
Nordlund’s electric guitar is a centerpiece of both; bouncing off the
numerous acoustic counterpoints that fill this part of tunes with life and
soul. “Empty Seat” draws the blinds,
blocking out the sun with a dirge-y acoustic jam that’s equal parts engagingly
melodic and heartbreaking. Returning to
hard rocking abandon “Shelter or the Storm” lives up to the “storm” part of its
namesake by drilling electric guitar riffs into your cranium and offsetting
with just the right amount of harmonic nuance.
The rhythm section explodes like a powder keg all throughout and the
triple guitar attack is at its most ruthless right here. This is easily the album’s heaviest, hardest
cut and certainly shakes up the atmosphere like a vial of nitroglycerin. The record comes to a close with a
melodically contagious trio of acoustic leaned tracks with “Nothing Compares,”
“On a Stone” and the piano-slicked, epic closer, “Confetti.” Though the music throughout these songs is
similar, each one has its own unique vibe.
Hearts
in Need of Repair is an astounding album and probably Sarah Morris’ finest
offering to date. The turbulent toss n’
turn of acoustic and electric guitar and bass, the generous amount of melodies
and texture, the addition of dobro, piano, lap and pedal steel as well as
Morris’ picture perfect vocal stylings yields an album that’s airtight in its
construction. Anyone with an ear for
rustic rock, country, blues and folk will be unable to stop listening to this
disc…it’s simply THAT good.
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