Kevin Morby – “Destroyer”

Of late, Kevin Morby has turned into a one-album-wonder for me.  I got into his music with 2016’s Singing Saw, from which “Destroyer” hails, and the album is a borderline classic in my opinion.  City Music and Oh My God followed in rapid succession with tepid results, failing to live up to the beauty of their predecessor.  But that’s okay when we’re talking about songs of the decade, because all you have to do is get hot once – and Kevin Morby absolutely hit the nail on the head with the gorgeous, jazzy folk of “Destroyer”.

Sometimes I wonder if the song title pays homage to Destroyer the artist, because at times it sounds like it belongs on Kaputt (for those following this series — foreshadow warning!), what with its blend of atmospheric indie-folk/pop and rich, textured jazz horns.  The song moves along very leisurely, Morby’s vocals floating without a care in the world atop a repetitive but elegant piano line. The turning point comes around the 2:30 mark when Morby elevates the emotion of the entire song with the line “And now I go down, towards the dirt…In which we died.”  From that point on it becomes the most gorgeous, sexy, and downtempo blend of lush indie-folk and jazz, this seductive intertwining of genres that is melodically pleasing and emotionally transformative.  The female backing vocals that brush up against the jazzier sections of the track are a subtle stroke of genius, added atop an already beautiful moment.  I can’t listen to “Destroyer” and not feel totally transported.

There were other Morby tracks that rivaled this one, specifically “I Have Been To The Mountain” and “Dorothy” – so I’d wholeheartedly recommend that anyone who finds the above track enjoyable continues with their exploration by digesting all of Singing Saw.  But as it stands, “Destroyer” is the single track that makes me come back to this album time and time again.

Read more from this decade at my homepage for Sowing’s Songs of the Decade.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5JjmQsvmmmOBFnUjP7FLu4