Sam Morrow – Southern Boogie
With some swampy gravitas of J.J. Cale & Tony Joe White, the Texas-rooted Mr. Morrow unleashes mud on your boots, sweat dirt lines of your neck authenticity with “Cruisin’” & manages to keep the momentum brawny. His voice has authority. At first listen, it sounds like country music; it has too much grit & settles in, just a half mile down the road from outlaw music.
There’s a definite thread of Southern rock that gives the songs (“Lucretia”) the necessary fat that gives barbecue its flavor. On that second track, Morrow comes close to the characteristics of Duane Allman’s vocal & the female backup is the pin in the noisy child’s balloon. Nice stuff.
9 tunes draw blood on Southern Boogie (Drops June 12/Copaco/Blue Elan Records/34:29) produced by Jonathan Tyler (guitar/synth/bgv) & recorded in studios/venues in Austin & Nashville. There’s a neat folded down lyric sheet included & the sound of the set for all its vintage musicality has a well-polished creative punch that sets Mr. Morrow apart from most artists like this. Yes, there are some lyrical cliches, but that’s part & parcel of this Americana caramelized music. Sam, however, uses this to his advantage & weaves around with a country-rock presence (“South Texas Women”) that’s like hearing the Allman Brothers for the first time. This music is a newly found country soul smoker.
The tunes have magnetism – be it danceable for the toe-tappers, listenable for the back porch intellects, or groove-able for the cool cats. Sam’s rubbed & tenderized each. With “In the Bag,” Sam almost sounds as country as Darius Rucker & that, today, is popular. The addition of the female backup again gives this song its sting. Almost as potent as the old Delaney & Bonnie & Friends unit (“Comin’ Home,” “Free the People”) of the ‘70s. The guitars have that special ring.
“Saturday Night” is exceptional with its J.J. Cale braised vocal tone & gnarly guitars that add the refined creativity. A song that could be jammed on for half an hour live. The soaring sax notes are gutsy. What makes Sam an interesting vocalist is his ability to apply a different vocal pitch to each song, yet remain wholly Sam Morrow. With “Juanita,” he borders on Kris Kristofferson with a brawny Eric Clapton-type lead.
Sam ends his album with a Steve Earle-oriented rousing rocker in “Wedding Ring.” There’s actually not a bad track on this showcase.
Highlights – “Cruisin,’” “Lucretia,” “South Texas Women,” “In the Bag,” “Saturday Night,” “Juanita” & “Wedding Ring.”
Musicians – Matt Hubbard (keys), Bryan McGrath (drums), John Michael Schoepf (bass), Ricky Ray Jackson, Damn Atkins, Eli Wulfmeier & Leroy Powell (guitars), Joseph Wullard (sax), Tameca Jones & Paige Plaisance (bgv).
Color image courtesy of Sam’s Bandcamp site. CD @ https://www.sammorrowmusic.com/ & https://blueelan.com/products/southern-boogie-digital-album