I am always on the lookout for a good summer album. The easygoing manner of Ty Morse’s “St. Agnes Eve” makes it a perfect candidate for playing in my stereo while I grill out.
The album features an enchanting mix of Nick Drake-esque melodies and 1940′s circus music. Morse’s vocal stylings have a raw quality that cries out with humble confidence. The songs are reassuring in a way that is almost uplifting. For example, on “Catch a Boat to England”, Morse sings:
I’ve never waited so long in my life.
I’ve never wanted the same old place.
I said to myself, “At least you tried!”
Morse, who has also written a rock opera about Frankenstein, shows a good deal of maturity on this record. The standout track is “Pole Swimmer”, a song whose organ part evokes memories of sun-drenched beaches and lazy summer days.
Jon Greenlee (guitar), Perkinoid (keyboard), Matt Lammers (bass), and Joey Rossetti (drums) also deserve some credit for doing a fine job of anchoring the music from a sonic perspective.