One of the most distinctive voices to emerge from the early 90's rock scene was Morphine, a bass/sax/drums-trio hailing from Cambridge, Massachusetts, founded by bassist/singer Mark Sandman (left), saxophonist Dana Colley (middle), and drummer Jerome Deupree. Sandman had cut his teeth in the 80s playing in David Champagne's blues-rock outfit Treat Her Right, a band that tentatively laid the foundations for Morphine's unique sound: a slick, dark and atmospheric fusion of blues, jazz and rock music whose most characteristic facet is something that is actually not there: a guitar.
Title: Good
Label: Accurate
Release date: September 8th 1992
Recording date: ?
Tracklist:
1. Good 2:36 2. The Saddest Song 2:50 3. Claire 3:07 4. Have A Lucky Day 3:24 5. You Speak My Language 3:25 6. You Look Like Rain 3:42 7. Do Not Go Quietly Unto Your Grave 3:21 8. Lisa 0:43 9. The Only One 2:42 10. Test-Tube Baby/Shoot'm Down 3:11 11. The Other Side 3:50 12. I Know You (Part I) 2:17 13. I Know You (Part II) 2:45
Good is the powerful manifesto of their "low rock" (as the band labeled it). It is an impressive display of impeccable songwriting and cool instrumental prowess. The title track is a masterpiece of noir ambience, completely built on their trademark ingredients: Sandman's gloomy slide bass riff and sensual crooning, Deupree's simple, to-the-point drumming, and Colley's nonchalant saxophone lines. This magical combination (in particular the interplay between Sandman's bass and Colley's saxophone) would remain the basis of their artistic success throughout their career, although it would never again be at the root of each composition as much as it is here. They would never create such an atmospherically cohesive work again, fluently juxtaposing languid nonchalance (the laid-back "You Look Like Rain" and "The Only One") with dramatic tension (the fast-paced "You Speak My Language" and "Test-Tube Baby/Shoot 'm Down"). With several other masterpieces, notably the moody sermon of "Do Not Go Quietly Unto Your Grave", the dark metaphysical tale of "The Other Side" and the atmospheric closing diptych "I Know You", the album actually has no weak points, which is a rare feat, especially for a debut.
9.5/10
Title: Cure for Pain
Label: Rykodisc
Release date: September 14th 1993
Recording date: ?
Tracklist: 1. Dawna 0:44 2. Buena 3:19 3. I'm Free Now 3:24 4. All Wrong 3:40 5. Candy 3:14 6. A Head With Wings 3:39 7. In Spite Of Me 2:34 8. Thursday 3:26 9. Cure For Pain 3:13 10. Mary Won't You Call My Name? 2:29 11. Let's Take A Trip Together 2:59 12. Sheila 2:49 13. Miles Davis' Funeral 1:41
The follow-up Cure for Pain is a much livelier (and catchier) affair. It trades in some of the subdued mood of Good for a bigger sound, as showcased by the sprightly exuberance of "Buena", that opens the proceedings after a brief saxophone intro, and "All Wrong". Both are consummate examples of the wonderful interplay achieved between bass and saxophone. The "poppy" side of the band is on display in the mid-tempo melodies of "I'm Free Now", "Candy", and "Cure for Pain". The album is more stylistically diverse than its predecessor: the thundering single "Thursday" steals the show, but the band also finds room for the gorgeous melancholy ode to a lost lover, "In Spite of Me", the sexually laden jazz ballad "Let's Take a Trip Together", and the amazingly subtle and pensive ambience of the album's instrumental coda "Miles Davis' Funeral". The overall impact of this album might not be quite as big as their debut's "noir magic", but nevertheless it is an amazing work that is thoroughly enjoyable and might perhaps best serve as an introduction to the band's oeuvre.
8.5/10
Title: Yes
Label: Rykodisc
Release date: March 21st 1995
Recording date: ?
Tracklist: 1. Honey White 3:06 2. Scratch 3:13 3. Radar3:28 4. Whisper 3:28 5. Yes 2:01 6. All Your Way 3:02 7. Super Sex 3:53 8. I Had My Chance 3:05 9. The Jury 2:08 10. Sharks 2:22 11. Free Love 4:11 12. Gone For Good 2:55
On Yes Deupree was replaced by ex-Treat Her Right drummer Billy Conway (right on the band photo above), who had already played drums on a few tracks on their first two albums. The album gets off to a great start with "Honey White", one of their most upbeat creations, instantly fueled by Colley's ominous tremolo and followed shortly by the hyperkinetic sax theme. "Radar" and "All Your Way" are perfectly crafted songs that have that unmistakable quality to them that no other band could have created. Sandman's songwriting is no doubt one of the most distinctive and instantly recognizable in the business. "Whisper", a ballad full of sexual innuendo, and the romantic leitmotiv of "Scratch" are excellent examples of his prowess at the slide bass, and we can hear Colley agilely "sliding" along with him on the latter. On "Super Sex", one of the standouts, Sandman indulges in impressionistic, seemingly random lyrics, while Colley mildly abuses his saxophone. "The Jury" is a creepy little experiment, with its ominous bass sounds and slightly dissonant saxophone meanderings undermining Sandman's anemic recital. "I Had My Chance" is a somber song about regrets, but the gravest atmosphere is found in "Free Love", with the saxophone exploring its lower tone and upper volume registers, constantly on the verge of going out of control, and Sandman singing at his most disillusioned. The album is closed with the tender farewell song "Gone For Good". This album, especially its second half, is darker in mood, but the songwriting is definitely on par with Cure for Pain, probably even slightly more adventurous. Having delivered a masterpiece yet again it was time to start wondering whether and when Sandman's inspiration would run out.
8.5/10
Title: Like Swimming
Label: DreamWorks
Release date: March 11th 1997
Recording date: ?
Tracklist: 1. Lilah (Instrumental) 1:00 2. Potion 2:00 3. I Know You (Pt. III) 3:31 4. Early To Bed 2:57 5. Wishing Well 3:32 6. Like Swimming 4:00 7. Murder For The Money 3:34 8. French Fries With Pepper 2:53 9. Empty Box 3:54 10. Eleven O'Clock 3:19 11. Hanging On A Curtain 3:48 12. Swing It Low 3:16
The answer to that question came a little sooner than one would have liked, as Like Swimming, their first major label release, failed to live up to expectations. The class is still there, but most songs are simply not up to their standards. Some are still great though: the atmospheric instrumental intro "Lilah", the short and swinging "Potion", the excellent "I Know You, Pt. 3" (a more lively continuation of Good's final tracks), the dreamy title track and the classy trip-hoppish closer "Swing It Low" are worthy additions to their canon. However, tracks like "Early To Bed" (that contains loud poppy synths that one would much earlier expect on a Prince album), the wobbly cascading basslines of "Wishing Well" and the raucous "Murder for the Money" and "Eleven O'Clock" do little to excite the audience. Like Swimming is not a bad album, but it does feel a little redundant when compared to the previous ones.
6.3/10
Title: The Night
Label: DreamWorks
Release date: February 1st 2000
Recording date: June 1999
Tracklist: 1. The Night 4:48 2. So Many Ways 4:01 3. Souvenir 4:40 4. Top Floor, Bottom Buzzer 5:43 5. Like A Mirror 5:26 6. A Good Woman Is Hard To Find 4:14 7. Rope On Fire 5:36 8. I'm Yours, You're Mine 3:46 9. The Way We Met 2:59 10. Slow Numbers 3:58 11. Take Me With You 4:53
The Night unintentionally became their swan song, when shortly after the recording sessions Sandman (46) died of a heart attack during a live show in Italy. The album boasts a much broader array of instruments, employing cello, viola, upright bass, organ, and even oud, making it sound richer and fuller than ever. The title track, one of their greatest creations, is an intense, dreamy meditation overflowing with sadness. By the time Colley's solo kicks in, it is likely to send shivers down your spine. "So Many Ways" is a masterpiece of arrangement, rhythm, and mood, putting the spotlight on Sandman's brilliant songwriting skills. Morphine's songs never sounded this polished and complete. "Souvenir" is another one of their ghostly nightmares, nicely juxtaposed to the sprightly "Top Floor, Bottom Buzzer", a funky party track if the band ever made one. "Like a Mirror" is one of their bleakest and gloomiest songs, with Sandman nearly whispering his lyrics over a slow, rarefied percussive rhythm. An oud embellishes the seductive Middle Eastern-tinged ballad "Rope on Fire", while rumbling saxophones and a distorted bass propel "I'm Yours, You're Mine". The album is closed by the tantalizing "Slow Numbers", one of their most languid compositions, and the beautiful romantic string ballad "Take Me With You When You Go". Surprisingly, this is probably their most solid effort since their debut. The band makes each song count and as far as swan songs go, this is about as good as it gets.
9.0/10
With their fluent, sophisticated mixture of blues, jazz, and rock Morphine coined one of the most atmospheric and evocative sounds in recent memory, and have, despite Sandman's untimely death, managed to distill it into four albums of a quality that most bands never attain in their entire career. They could have done worse.
Best albums:
1. Good 9.5/10
2. The Night 9.0/10
3. Yes 8.5/10
3. Cure for Pain 8.5/10
5. Like Swimming 6.3/10
Reactions are always very welcome!
