A new EP release from Morning Son brings out a heartfelt and rustic undertone in a folk songwriting setting and does so with an honest and genuine feel that grabs at you and manages to get you quite attached and very quickly at that.
The Nature EP is riddled with character and some storytelling that's all done in the form of almost painting pictures with words and the energy the guitar and music puts out along with those words is flowing and beautiful.
The whole record has a way of overtaking you or just taking you on these little musical journeys and each song has a way of standing on its own two feet. But even still, the full EP is quite something when it's soaked in as a whole.
The performances are graceful, and they all have a sort of nostalgic feel to them as these tracks do indeed make you think and feel and that's something that we are missing in music these days for sure.
The record and songs are woven with passion but it's perfectly directe4d. It's subtle but can make the hairs on your arms stand up straight at the same time.
The whole EP boasts this vibe, and it gives it a classic approach in a way.
You get some outstanding emotional drive, and it mixes in with a classic rock style that comes with not just acoustic guitar but horns, piano, and so much more.
This makes things so colorful and lets the record breathe.
A gorgeous record that you just want more and more of, Nature delivers a wonderful feeling.
With such a great release, we wanted to have a chat with Morning Son and find out where this all really came from and what may be next.
Here's what happened.
Buzz Slayers: Let's kick things off with the Nature EP. This record has a genuine folk undertone to it. Where did this EP come from?
This EP is a compilation of 3 songs I had written in my early twenties. I shared them with my brother Eric, who is a full-time musician with his wife in the Worcester-based band "Ash & Eric". He took it on himself to try to record my EP as a way to hone his recording and producing skills. The structure was inspired by a Pete Seger record I found at a yard sale (a unique recording of "Where have all the flowers gone"). I loved the way the songs flowed seamlessly from one to the next. I tried to create that sense in the flow of the album. "Into the Wilderness" commences the musical journey. You'll notice "Nature" ends as "Fire" begins, and then instrumental-interlude "Refrain for The Lost Traveler" introduces the theme to the album's climatic finisher "Safe and Sound". I wrote the songs at different times and places in my life but they seemed to have this underlying theme of the spiritual journey of life, mystery, being lost and being found. Buzz Slayers: When did this all start for you? When did you fall in love with music really?
I was born into a musical family. Growing up in church, music was a big part of our spiritual expression and tradition. In addition, my parents were worship leaders so I got involved in my teens singing and playing bass. My first instrument was the trumpet, which I started playing in 4th grade. You can hear my trumpet playing showcased in the tracks "Fire" and "Safe and Sound". I've been singing for as long as I can remember. My brothers are older than me so I was always influenced by their musical taste. When they introduced me to Sufjan Stevens in his album "Come On Feel the Illinois" it was a pivotal moment for me. It changed my concept of what music could be and inspired me to want to make music that's intricate, orchestrated, with rich layering and nuance. My favorite song in "Seven Swans". The lo-fi acoustic sound really caught my attention with mysterious lyrics and deep lyrics. Buzz Slayers: What inspires you to write a song?
As early as I can remember I've always been humming a tune, either something I heard or a melody I made up. I've always had this innate desire to turn the music in my head into a song others can enjoy. So I think, selfishly I want to write music because I want to listen to something I would like to hear. I don't write music for others. I write it for myself. It's therapeutic and cathartic. The songs I've written (25+ at this point) over the past 10 years have all come about through a meditative process. It usually starts with a neat chord progress I stumble upon while playing around on my guitar, then I just listen for a melody and start to imagine words, and it begins to fill in like a puzzle. Sometimes I approach a song with a theme or topic in mind. Sometimes it just writes itself but the meaning develops and changes over time. Music is a very spiritual experience for me. At times I feel like when I'm playing music I'm communing with God like a musical prayer. Sometimes It feels as though God was participating in the creation of a song because it comes from such deep wells of experience and knowledge that I don't think I could have come up with that myself. Buzz Slayers: This EP has some great styles! Can you give us some of your top musical influences?
Thank you! And yes...Sufjan Stevens, Jon Foreman, Joni Mitchell, Anais Mitchell, Paul Simon, Nick Drake, Bruce Cockburn...to name a few! Buzz Slayers: What are you doing when you're NOT working on music?
I work as a Speech-Language Pathologist in the Worcester Public Schools. Outside of work I hang with friends, spend time with my wife and 2 daughters. I've been busy recording/interviewing for my new podcast the past month called "The Fellow Traveler". I also like to ski and hike! Buzz Slayers: Who's in your headphones right now?
I always come back to my #1 influence Sufjan Stevens. His music never gets old and speaks to something deep inside my being. I've also been digging Big Thief, Slow Leaves, Peter Mayor, mewithoutyou, Vulfpeck, and my guilty pleasure these days is Cardi B... Buzz Slayers: Are you doing any live performances right now?
Yes! This coming Wednesday December 21st I will be playing as the featured artist for the "Songwriter's Mind" held at the Starlite Lounge in Southbridge, MA. On the afternoon of Christmas Eve I have a gig at the Worcester Public Market from 12-3pm in the Wachusett Taproom. And January 5th I'll be featured live on Nick Noble's Folk Revival Radio show on 90.5 WICN! I also regularly play with my friends' in our band "The Big-League Collective" a few times a month at bars, restaurants , and breweries in the Worcester area and sometimes Boston! Follow Morning Son and the Big-League Collective on Instagram to see where we'll be next! Buzz Slayers: This record feels like a big undertaking, is there any advice you'd give to other up and coming artists out there?
Be patient, work hard, practice practice practice, and record music that YOU truly want to listen to. Also recording is hard and takes time to hone skills and play without nerves getting in the way. Don't be afraid to re-record and retry over and over again. Most importantly, make sure you spend enough time really playing a song over and over to nail down the feel and nuance you want. Record the song on your phone and listen back a bunch of times. Try to imagine how you want the finished product to sound. Buzz Slayers: What can your fans expect from you in the near future?
I'm currently working in a single "Tired Empire" which I plan on releasing January/February 2023. I'm really excited for this song. It has a punk rock feel but with violin and cello orchestration in the background. Additionally, I'm hoping to start a Patreon for fans who'd like to subscribe to my music and podcast, as well as a crowd-funding campaign for my next album "Exposed By Your Rain", which *fingers crossed* I want to release next Fall! Also, The Big-League Collective will be releasing some tracks soon as well! Keep your eyes peeled!
Buzz Slayers: Before we go, what would you like to say to fans of the music?
Thank you for your dedication and support. I love that it's been very organic. Many of my fans have really connected with and taken ownership of songs like "Fire". I hope my music continues to speak to that deep place in the human heart and soul!