DRUNKEN PRAYER - THE DEVIL AND THE BLUES
2015 - Self Released
Morgan Christopher Geer is a very busy man! He not only works solo and with his band Drunken Prayer but is also guitarist in the studio as well as live with the hugely talented 'Freakwater.' This is his fourth album with his band Drunken Prayer and whilst their previous offerings were excellent this ups the quality by at least a notch.
So what do you get from a Drunken Prayer album? In the case of this recording it is an album that is stylistically all over the place, with its roots in no man's land, but it is also an album of twelve songs that bind together beautifully thanks to Geer's open and distinctive vocal style. He sounds a bit like a completely liberated John Hiatt blended with the late great Warren Zevon and is able to express a huge range of emotions with no holding back or self consciousness whatsoever. Of course his vocals are helped by his compositional ability, the playing and his stylistic ambiguity and it is that ambiguity that sets him apart from any peers. In fact the Zevon comparison is probably quite accurate, worlds apart in many ways, but what binds them together is the complete lack of artifice and the following of their own muse with not even a nod to modern day music fashion, unless of course it fits with his musical vision on any particular song. If he has an idea for a song that doesn't necessarily fit his vocal, then tough, the song will get finished irrespective and it is this as much as anything that defines his style. It is one in which the song dominates and whilst arrangements, styles and tempos may differ, ultimately the album has a completely natural flow.
For promotional purposes albums have to be pigeon holed but this one is impossible to fit into a nice neat generic field unless you are prepared to accept the decidedly 'baggy' label, 'roots music,' but even that doesn't tell the whole story! Don't let the ambiguity put you off though; there are elements of country, blues, folk, rock and much else besides but none of those styles are dominant on this recording that I started off by really enjoying and have now reached the stage of loving it! There is a relaxed looseness to all of the songs but one that can only be attained by someone of immense skill who has confidence in their ability to see the project through from start to finish. The subject matter is varied, as are the styles and tempos, the arrangements excellent, the playing superb and Geers vocals do a tremendous job of portraying the characters and emotional content on every one of these excellent songs. There is fire and passion, complete sincerity and commitment and on occasions just a little tenderness, not too much, but just enough to alleviate some of the overall darkness and let the listener know there are some softer emotions in his makeup.
The core band is Morgan Geer on guitar, lead vocals, keyboards and songwriting, David Wayne Gay, bass and vocals and Lance Wille on drums. Musicians of the quality of Dallas Good of The Sadies on guitar and Anna Tivel, fiddle, amongst others were brought in to supplement the sound and add their quality to proceedings.
Many of the songs relate to the emotions following the loss of a lover, usually one who has gone off with someone else, often leaving a deep anger mixed with a low self worth, something that is at odds with the confidence of the vocals, unless it is more a question of that low self esteem cutting the reins and allowing full vent to the emotions leading to a more casual, relaxed fatalistic attitude. This confluence of emotions is never over done and no one is more suited to portray them vocally than Geer. Sometimes even the best albums can seem strained, as if one aspect is struggling, but on this recording there seems to be none of that thanks to the raggedy casual evocations contained on just about every song, ultimately binding the whole album tightly together. Opener Hellraiser, has a twangy rockabilly intro that continues throughout a song that whilst having a modern day production is also classic rockabilly in style with Geer's liberated vocal emphasizing the songs sentiments. Next up is Machines, a song that starts out sounding a little like a 1960s pop/rock song but the vocals come in and the tale becomes a dark ballad that lyrically and stylistically is pretty much unique to Drunken Prayer. The Champagne Of Tears is seemingly an easy going twangy country song but nothing is ever quite that straightforward in the world of Drunken Prayers. The piano and keyboards blend well with the twangy guitar on a song that reflects on the treatment received from a lost lover. There is always an easy going edge of humour despite the sentiments contained in the song, giving the feeling that despite having been taken advantage of the songs subject doesn't really care! Hand of God is an excellent 'country song' but one that has an irreverent atmosphere with very good harmonies and instrumentation and a nice fiddle sound that produces an often old timey feel. In fact that word 'irreverent' could sum up the whole album, certainly stylistically at least, with Geer always seeming at least vocally, to have a casual, devil may care approach on all of his excellent songs. Captain & Tennille is really a humourous song, but without any real laughs, simply because stylistically there is nothing in common with those old purveyors of soft middle of the road pop! The playing is excellent with the pounding drums, crashing cymbals, barrel house piano and driving bass and guitar and Geer's vocals at their most 'liberated,' the complete opposite to the much maligned (at least by me!) duo.
This tremendous album repays the listener with every session revealing, the not always obvious to the casual listener, little nuances and variations that lift the recording way above much of the roots field. If I never heard the album again the abiding memories would be the variations, the quality of the lyrics and the playing, but above all the confidence and looseness of those evocative vocals and the total immersion of Geer in his songs. A terrific and hugely entertaining album.
http://drunkenprayer.com/
Morgan Christopher Geer is a very busy man! He not only works solo and with his band Drunken Prayer but is also guitarist in the studio as well as live with the hugely talented 'Freakwater.' This is his fourth album with his band Drunken Prayer and whilst their previous offerings were excellent this ups the quality by at least a notch.
So what do you get from a Drunken Prayer album? In the case of this recording it is an album that is stylistically all over the place, with its roots in no man's land, but it is also an album of twelve songs that bind together beautifully thanks to Geer's open and distinctive vocal style. He sounds a bit like a completely liberated John Hiatt blended with the late great Warren Zevon and is able to express a huge range of emotions with no holding back or self consciousness whatsoever. Of course his vocals are helped by his compositional ability, the playing and his stylistic ambiguity and it is that ambiguity that sets him apart from any peers. In fact the Zevon comparison is probably quite accurate, worlds apart in many ways, but what binds them together is the complete lack of artifice and the following of their own muse with not even a nod to modern day music fashion, unless of course it fits with his musical vision on any particular song. If he has an idea for a song that doesn't necessarily fit his vocal, then tough, the song will get finished irrespective and it is this as much as anything that defines his style. It is one in which the song dominates and whilst arrangements, styles and tempos may differ, ultimately the album has a completely natural flow.
For promotional purposes albums have to be pigeon holed but this one is impossible to fit into a nice neat generic field unless you are prepared to accept the decidedly 'baggy' label, 'roots music,' but even that doesn't tell the whole story! Don't let the ambiguity put you off though; there are elements of country, blues, folk, rock and much else besides but none of those styles are dominant on this recording that I started off by really enjoying and have now reached the stage of loving it! There is a relaxed looseness to all of the songs but one that can only be attained by someone of immense skill who has confidence in their ability to see the project through from start to finish. The subject matter is varied, as are the styles and tempos, the arrangements excellent, the playing superb and Geers vocals do a tremendous job of portraying the characters and emotional content on every one of these excellent songs. There is fire and passion, complete sincerity and commitment and on occasions just a little tenderness, not too much, but just enough to alleviate some of the overall darkness and let the listener know there are some softer emotions in his makeup.
The core band is Morgan Geer on guitar, lead vocals, keyboards and songwriting, David Wayne Gay, bass and vocals and Lance Wille on drums. Musicians of the quality of Dallas Good of The Sadies on guitar and Anna Tivel, fiddle, amongst others were brought in to supplement the sound and add their quality to proceedings.
Many of the songs relate to the emotions following the loss of a lover, usually one who has gone off with someone else, often leaving a deep anger mixed with a low self worth, something that is at odds with the confidence of the vocals, unless it is more a question of that low self esteem cutting the reins and allowing full vent to the emotions leading to a more casual, relaxed fatalistic attitude. This confluence of emotions is never over done and no one is more suited to portray them vocally than Geer. Sometimes even the best albums can seem strained, as if one aspect is struggling, but on this recording there seems to be none of that thanks to the raggedy casual evocations contained on just about every song, ultimately binding the whole album tightly together. Opener Hellraiser, has a twangy rockabilly intro that continues throughout a song that whilst having a modern day production is also classic rockabilly in style with Geer's liberated vocal emphasizing the songs sentiments. Next up is Machines, a song that starts out sounding a little like a 1960s pop/rock song but the vocals come in and the tale becomes a dark ballad that lyrically and stylistically is pretty much unique to Drunken Prayer. The Champagne Of Tears is seemingly an easy going twangy country song but nothing is ever quite that straightforward in the world of Drunken Prayers. The piano and keyboards blend well with the twangy guitar on a song that reflects on the treatment received from a lost lover. There is always an easy going edge of humour despite the sentiments contained in the song, giving the feeling that despite having been taken advantage of the songs subject doesn't really care! Hand of God is an excellent 'country song' but one that has an irreverent atmosphere with very good harmonies and instrumentation and a nice fiddle sound that produces an often old timey feel. In fact that word 'irreverent' could sum up the whole album, certainly stylistically at least, with Geer always seeming at least vocally, to have a casual, devil may care approach on all of his excellent songs. Captain & Tennille is really a humourous song, but without any real laughs, simply because stylistically there is nothing in common with those old purveyors of soft middle of the road pop! The playing is excellent with the pounding drums, crashing cymbals, barrel house piano and driving bass and guitar and Geer's vocals at their most 'liberated,' the complete opposite to the much maligned (at least by me!) duo.
This tremendous album repays the listener with every session revealing, the not always obvious to the casual listener, little nuances and variations that lift the recording way above much of the roots field. If I never heard the album again the abiding memories would be the variations, the quality of the lyrics and the playing, but above all the confidence and looseness of those evocative vocals and the total immersion of Geer in his songs. A terrific and hugely entertaining album.
http://drunkenprayer.com/