Reviews
Artist: Morton Valence
Album: Me & Home James
Label: Bastard
Tracks: 12
Website:http://www.mortonvalence.com
Morton Valence are starting to really p1ss me off. Their debut album "Bob & Veronica Ride Again" won our debut album of the year for albums released in 2009. The band were offered a slot on the Fatea Showcase Sessions, which brought some really impressive feedback and they were responsible for me getting behind on my reviewing because I kept on playing them exclusively for pleasure rather than actually doing what I should be doing.
The reason they are starting to p1ss me off is that they are doing it again. "Me & Home James" has reawakened an addiction I thought I'd cured myself of. In short it's been spending a lot of time on my cd player and the work keeps on stacking up.
Like its predecessor, "Me & Home James" is a concept album, this time of a metaphorical cab ride across London, one that is resplendent in urban country and spirituals and drawing reference from a whole host of artists that might not be at the forefront of 'names' but ones that would bring a nod of satisfaction if you mentioned it to anyone, Patsy Cline, Dr. John, Otis Redding,The Sundays, Snake Farm, Black Box Recorder etc. Yet at all times they remain Morton Valence.
They've taken the essence of what made me fall in love with their debut album and given it a second distillation. The result is an album that is slightly mellower than the first album, but more complex, richer in notes.
"Me & Home James" feels more like a band album, a fuller sound, less sparse, but still drifting like dandelion seeds on the wind, or at least that's the impression. The reality is a group of songs that just seem to complement the space you are in, both inside and outside of your head.
There is a real sense of theatre about the way Morton Valence put their albums together, they are there to take you on a journey, the album builds, falls away and builds again, it reflects life and different aspects of it, but all of the songs stand up on their own. It's an album of singles as much as it's a concept.
This is an album that stands up to repeated plays, I should know, and continues to deliver surprises with each play. The song writing is pretty much flawless, what's not to recommend ? Just be aware it's a time thief.
Neil King