Jimmy Lee Morris is a singer-songwriter and talented solo musician and I’ll be reviewing his latest Album ‘Last of the Tall Ships’ which was released in March 2018.
‘Buying Time’ has a funky energy to it and after about two hours of slogging through train and bus times for a trip I’m taking it really brightened up my day. I was sent this by Jimmy Lee Morris himself via Twitter, and I always have high hopes for submissions but when I don’t know the person I’m always a little worried but this track, and the full album really set my mind at ease. This song just kind of flows, the kind of track where you’d just pop it on and drift off to it, or while you’re doing something boring to make it more fun. Again I suggest listen to it while you’re trying to find your way about Britain’s crumbling travel infrastructure, it mellows you out and yet it isn’t too slow but It’s a chill out song if ever I heard one.
‘Bigger Sky’ is a little quicker than the last track and it’s now that I really get the 80’s feel that runs through the album. Now I’m a child on the 90’s but half the 90’s was spent reminiscing about the 80’s and we’re having a resurgence with shows like ‘Stranger Things’ so I feel like an album full of tight 80’s inspired tracks is more than welcome. I want to mention at this point that Morris has a strong and distinct voice and I like what he can do, also this song has a nice keyboard section that sounds like he’s just jamming away and not only does it feel real and organic but I actually really liked the sound of it.
‘Freestyle’ This track reminded me a bit of something I heard in The Mighty Boosh, which itself was heavily influenced by the 80’s and music in general so that’s a compliment. The track itself is upbeat and catchy, the kind of thing you sing to yourself while washing the dishes. Also sorry for constantly suggesting mundane or boring things to do alongside this track, the album is great but I have some time off work and I’m getting the house in order so all the tracks I’ve been reviewing have been the soundtrack to my late spring cleaning. But yeah this track is a whopper, I think it’s probably my favourite track on the album and it balances itself really well, it has energy and could have people up and dancing but its still very much a chill out track.
‘Something About You’ has a very cheery intro, makes me think of the sun, its romantic and happy and just the kind of track we need more of these days. This track especially shows off Morris’s vocal skills, he has a soft, easy going voice that suits these songs and this style like a glove. This song is also really catchy and for the couple of weeks I’ve had the track this one has been stuck in my head.
‘Last of the Tall Ships’ the title track of the album, listening to these is always curious because you feel like it should be the best because it lends its name to the whole album and in this case Morris doesn’t disappoint. It opens with a building electronic drone that elicits a sense of wonder, before it breaks into the song proper, in this case some synth drums and tones that work perfectly with Morris’s voice. ‘Freestyle’ is definitely my favourite in the album but this is a close second and it’s a tremendous track.
‘Glad You’ve Gone’ is a little different from the other tracks, certainly it’s a lot busier initially but it’s a nice change that keeps things fresh. I also really enjoyed the hook for this song and I’m sure I’ll remember this track for a while because of it, its just one of those songs that gets stuck in your head.
‘Tall Ships’ is the final track in an album jam packed full of great songs, it’s an instrumental reprise of ‘Last of the Tall Ships and it’s a lovely way to close off the album.
Check out his album on Bandcamp, and make sure to also follow him on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and updates.
First Published on: https://offtherecordblog.org/
Off the Record is and always will be a free platform, but if you like what we do here and want to contribute to the production of future content then you can do so by donating to our PayPal or Ko-Fi.
Off the Record 