★★★★☆
Bringing those good ol’ country feels right into the city, Sydney’s own The Morrisons harness a wickedly fun and cheeky spirit in their self-titled album, an all-out assault of banjo, harmonica, fiddle and washboard.
Effortlessly sliding between fast-picking numbers like ‘Whiskey On The Brain’ and ‘Sugarcane’ – featuring some furious puffing on a harmonica and rich vocals from singer James Morrison – to the more desolate yet wholesome reflections like ‘Melina’ and ‘Good Christian Man’, which capture the subtle graces of guitarist Miles Fraser’s technique, The Morrisons inoculate city slickers to the sound of country.
Fusing traditional stories with a lonesome spirit, this album captures all the sweet notes of the American South with an obvious and prideful Australian character. Closer ‘Southern Flavour’ brings it all home in more ways than one – it will leave you breathless at its close.
On the evidence of these knee-bendin’, toe-tappin’ gems, you’ll be rewarded for taking the opportunity to witness The Morrisons perform the album live on their upcoming tour.
The Morrisons’The Morrisonsis out independently and available from their website.
