As a rule of thumb, always self-title the record you want to be remembered by. With the refurbishment of the song “Clouds” debuted from their last EP released June 07’ entitled, The Sounds of Love EP, the record is like a continuation of the soft but then progressive and “rocky” Morning Light that we have all grown to love, plus ten brand new tracks to further develop their niche in this ever-growing music industry. It also allows anyone who hasn’t jumped on this trolley to get his or her ticket to join the bandwagon and get a view of the true morning light.
The Morning Light’s story is much like a lot of bands you hear about in our day and age. A few friends getting together to FINALLY record their first CD, playing a lot of local shows around their hometown of Pittsburgh, PA, and then finally hitting the road. With their announcement of signing to Fearless Records in December 07’ and then the reissuing of their EP, The Morning Light began to look like the real deal. After touring with bands like You, Me, and Everyone We Know, Every Avenue, Just Surrender, and The Hush Sound (which was a hell of a ride considering the footage seen after the van crash), we are now treated to this new self-titled released Sept. 23rd 08’.
A lot of the tracks on this album I really enjoyed. Matt Goldman (Copeland, Underoath, Anberlin) did a great job in the production of this album. This record has a broad range of instrumentation including not only piano, but also trumpets, violin, and all sorts of different keyboard audio done by Harrison. However, the back vocals, like the old EP, sometimes pierce through and pinch a nerve, but there are great harmonies here. With that said, Andy, Matt, Nick, and Harrison are flawlessly tight with one another as one song almost flows into the next, drowning you in the expert laying job that this band can pull off, which is definitely essential for a band wanting to reach even further into the pot of gold I call songwriting. Bands can sometimes overdue the laying, and come out with a product almost sounding like its underwater. This band is NOT one of those bands. As for the lead vocals we hear from Bobby, it never gets old, and most evident in the song “Honest (Apologies Endless),” he sings like he is having a lot of fun in the studio. The track “Done Writing Love Songs” also has a great upbeat feel, especially due to the great, “round about” drumming from Nick.
All in all, this CD reminds me of what should have happened Saves the Day’s Stay What You Are. If you are a fan of Saves the Day, The Hush Sound, or Daphne Loves Derby, I suggest you definitely pick up this album and give it a listen. Fortunately for The Morning Light, they have really pulled off the long-awaited full-length and it definitely solidifies their presence among this growing scene.
