TUNE: If you look up the term “crooner” in the dictionary, James Vincent McMorrow should absolutely pop up. Probably twice. Known for his disarming falsetto and soaring melodies that have provided emotional scores for many a contemporary dancer (see here, here, oh and also here), McMorrow has established himself as something of a staple when it comes to songs that hit you like a brick. “Cavalier” takes a step in a different direction. It’s still a crooning slow-jam, but with the generously layered additions of bass, hand claps, and heaps of other instruments, it becomes evident that the musician is broadening his scope. “Cavalier” feels like heartache tinged with James Blake and hip-hop, which is awesome.
BY: McMorrow, the 30-year-old Irish singer/songwriter, hasn’t had a lengthy career thus far, but it’s been impressive. His album, “Early In The Morning,” received numerous accolades and has been featured in handfuls of commercials and T.V. shows, including “The Vampire Diaries” and “Chuck.” With his upcoming album, “Post Tropical,” the singer, who claims he “never longed to be the guy with a guitar,” promises a wholly different texture, nothing linear, and an album made with total freedom and flexibility on a pecan farm half a mile from the Mexican border. Yep… a pecan farm.
CURRENTLY: “Post Tropical” is out in January, but you can catch McMorrow in New York at Joe’s Pub on November 21.
—Regina Mogilevskaya