As Sarah Morris sings of her subjects’ infectious ways and attractive qualities on opener, “Glow,” she could very well be describing what makes her own music so compelling. Because, as much as she has clearly demonstrated over many releases that she can write great songs, there is something less tangible, less easily described in the way she delivers them, something that makes them, and indeed her, stand out from the pack. That is all down to the personality of the artist finding its way into the DNA of the song.
And I won’t be the first person to have drawn a line between her music and Nora Jones, but there is the same blend of eloquence and elegance, understatement and a sort of deft sophistication (if you can have such a thing) found in her blends of soul and folk, pop and roots.
“Hard on a Heart” is what happens when a country ballad transcends its genre and heads straight for that rarefied place that we call classic…or at least a classic in the making, given enough time. “Truly Wild” wanders into dreamscapes territory, a place where layers of vocal textures and hazy sonics seem tethered only by the gentle strum of guitar, and “The One I Choose” is somehow both spacious and confidently delivered, understated yet structured…again, a contradiction of sorts.
If I were forced to choose just one song from this outstanding collection —though hopefully no one would be that cruel —“The Stars Are Back” is one of the most gorgeous songs I have heard in a long time. Simple as that!
Sarah Morris doesn’t just write great songs; she releases albums that feel like Greatest Hits compilations, such is the standard she holds her music-making to.
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