Dartmouth Soundoff: McMorrow Carves His Own Path With “Post Tropical”
Fans of Bon Iver and Ray LaMontagne may already be familiar with Irish folk singer-songwriter James Vincent McMorrow, who released his latest album, Post Tropical, on January 14th. McMorrow previously got the most traction — and crossed my radar -- with his soulful, stripped-down cover of Steve Winwood’s “Higher Love.
The similarities between McMorrow and Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon, with their breathy vocals and bulky harmonies, has always been apparent. Paste Magazine’s Carey Hodges fleshes out the comparison nicely: “Where Vernon embraces folk,” Hodges writes, “McMorrow gravitates toward a rich, soulful sound — and it’s gorgeous.”
For example,Post Tropical’s breathtaking opening track (and first single) “Cavalier” showcases McMorrow’s almost impossible falsetto. And the emotional momentum he established with his first release, Early In the Morning, creating and conveying a feeling with sound, not just words, clearly continues in Post Tropical.
This latest work, however, departs from his previous sound with a distinct R&B influence and increased use of electronic elements. (Critics point to McMorrow’s long love of R&B and unintentional folk career in their reviews.) Symphonic themes also appear throughout the album, such as the brass sections used in “Post Tropical” and “Gold,” almost as if McMorrow were channeling a little Sufjan Stevens.
To add to the artistry, filmmaker Aoife McArdle augments several of the tracks. Her work with “Cavalier” adds another layer to the experience of consuming McMorrow’s work and has gathered some attention in the film community. As if she were painting one section of a mural in “Cavalier,” she picks up in a different corner in the video for “Red Dust,” the third track off the album. The final part of the trilogy is supposed to be released in the near future.
In the Spotify sampler, I’ve included the tracks off Post Tropical mentioned above, along with two tracks, “Hear The Noise that Moves So Soft and Low” and “We Don’t Eat,” from his first album, which exemplify both his more classically folk and his slightly more formulaic sounds. And, of course, “Higher Love” is on there for good measure. Perfect for all this cold weather and a cup of coffee from Dirt Cowboy.