Monday Aug 24, 2015
Monday, August 24, 7:30PM
Weesner Family Amphitheater – Minnesota Zoo
13000 Zoo Blvd
Apple Valley, MN 55124
James Vincent McMorrow’s career had a strong start in 2010 with his acclaimed debut album, Early in the Morning. The album reached number 1, went platinum, and picked up a Choice Music Prize nomination upon its release. Along the way, there were shows everywhere from the Royal Festival Hall to Later…with Jools Holland, and a breakout hit in the charity cover of Steve Winwood’s “Higher Love”. McMorrow’s first record was the formative sounds of a songwriter who suddenly found people giving a damn. “I’m so proud of that album, but I never longed to be a guy with a guitar. You play these songs live as best you can, and suddenly you’re a Folk musician. But the texture of this record is completely different. This is the kind of stuff I actually listen to.”
On a pecan farm half a mile from the Mexican border, McMorrow’s latest album, Post Tropical, was born – a collection of sounds and ideas brought to life in rooms where the low frequencies of passing freight trains vibrated in the studio, briefly disturbing the birds in the rafters. And like most new ideas, the album is hard to describe. It requires attention and engagement. It seduces you towards hidden depths. Wiping the palate of Early in the Morning clean, Post Tropical is a stunning piece of work. Its broadened horizons may come as a surprise to everyone but James and the people who know him best.