Post Tropical
James Vincent McMorrow
Released by Vagrant
In his second album, Post Tropical, James Vincent McMorrow, an indie artist from Dublin, Ireland, creates a collision of soft and intense sounds that make the album a very interesting and rewarding experience.
Singles like “Post Tropical” show this stark contrast. At first a very simple rhythm that builds with McMorrow’s voice and brass, the song escalates. The rising nature of the song is an intense and affecting sensation that gives chills.
Halfway through, the experience turns into another slow and soft rhythm. It ends in a pleasant percussion ensemble that ties up the title single of the album as representative of its balance of intense and melodic.
Singles like “Red Dust” are smooth and calming but it’s singles like “Gold” that really seem to spark a reaction. Together, the raw collection of brass and McMorrow’s voice leave the listener affected.
The album as a whole is a brilliant piece, and will hopefully make a bigger wave in North America, bringing attention to the great talent and vocals of McMorrow.
McMorrow, a relatively new artist in the spotlight, is still poorly known in places like Canada and the United States. But with the help of the Internet and places like Tumblr and Twitter his presence has grown.
The young Irish singer has a voice that echoes with a sort of gravitas in each song. “We Don’t Eat” is deep and emotional—a perfect example of his subject matter and his sound.
The song’s chorus is riddled with a solemness that McMorrow commands with ease.
“We don’t eat until your father is at the table/We don’t drink until the devil has turned to dust/Never once has any man I’ve met been able to love/So if I were you, my friend, I’d learn to have just a little bit of trust,” he sings, showing he isn’t afraid to deal with emotional issues.
He brings the listener into his world that is at times melodious and soothing and at others heavy and intense. He is without a doubt a talented artist and deserves to be recognized on an international scale.
