In Review:

James Vincent McMorrow

Post Tropical

The stage is set: minimal with very dim lighting; guitar, keyboard, banjo, and a few other instruments crowded, then one lone skinny, half-balding man saunters on to beloved cheers. He takes his place at the keyboard, hands trembling ever-so slightly. He begins in whispers and with every crescendo of his trademark falsetto the audience sways and quivers, silently, at his will. His listeners are in trance with every verse as hallow slow-claps in "Cavalier" resonate and fill the venue. James Vincent McMorrow is a master at captivating audiences of all sizes, with no flash and fluff or even a band to fall back on. His sophomore album Post Tropical stands for everything James is all about: the simple art of music and the allure of it alone.

Back in 2011 the Irish-bred indie folker released his debut LP Early In the Morning.  Boasting slow, simplistic love ballads and lullaby-like tracks soft enough to keep a child sleep through the night--James barely strayed from his roots three years later with slightly more modern Post Tropical. Post Tropical takes cool, artistic notes from R&B musicians like The Weekend and the creative linguistics of Bon Iver--to the reverberating drums in his mid-album track "All Points" to the stacked harmonizations of his inconceivable vocals in "Post Tropical". Listeners can't help but just close their eyes and let Post Tropical subdue and lap over in cold waves, carrying them to James' world which is strangely more frigid than anywhere tropical. 

"And I was someone else, I was something good," he croons in one of his darker tracks "Glacier". 

James has been known to do extraordinary covers of popular songs and his talent isn't just limited to any genre structure. Post Tropical breaks all the rules and doesn't come across as pretty, but gorgeous as it reflects not only the winter season, but beauty in that less can truly be more with slow-building zenith and cascading of harpsichords paired with humming guitars trumping overworked, mainstream pop.

Not only are James' live performances bewitching, but his studio albums tell tales of the sad and beautiful with his sheer panache being the climax with no let down. Post Tropical is a versatile soundtrack to anyone's life and it provides just the right touch of magic and isn't at all shallow or too brash--natural perfection and complete musical transcendence.