Morning State

Here is a review of the album from Metromix New York:



"Why you should care: Here's the thing: first time out, it may not seem like you should. But even slow-burners like "Should I Know" or "Yard Work" take you past riffs you've heard before into explosive blazes of glory. And when Morning State locks into a driving groove like on the pile-driving "Grown Up (Atlanta)" or "That's Quite a Rash," there are few bands working today who can match them in ferocity. The incendiary title track alone could chase a few MySpace bands off the stage.



Verdict: For a debut, Morning State's "You Know People I Know People" is a rarity: an album that re-identifies itself to you with each listen. Its parts may seem derivative in places, but finding an original anything in our mediated 21st century is an impossible task. If you want to bang your head at your desk or on the floor, Morning State is more than up to the task."



Performer Mag Review:

In the overcrowded field of power pop, Morning State is trying something that hasn’t been done for quite a while: writing good songs. In their eagerness to stand out, most bands in this genre rely on kitsch. With Morning State’s You Know People, I Know People, however, it’s just about the music.



Having lost their original tape reels to the now-defunct Livewire Recordings in a custody battle, the men of Morning State re-tracked this album from scratch with the help of Athens engineer Asa Leffer. Though Livewire’s recordings have historically been great, Leffer is no slouch in the tracking and mixing department. The band’s controlled energy comes across as polite yet confident, and the songs about driving, yard work, school and neighborhoods are real and easy to fall into.



“Sad Is When I’m Driving” kicks off the CD with more angst than sorrow, and “Hurry, Hurry” carries a sense of judicious franticness reminiscent of The Whigs. The catchy “Never So Strange” shows the band’s ability to write tight, jingle-worthy melodies, but emphasis track “Oh Yeah” is the album’s standout. Singer Russ Ledford is almost grunge-rock in his melody and delivery, but guitarist Dave Williams’ minimal, dynamic playing keeps “Oh Yeah” in modern-rock territory. The album slows to a finish with “Knives,” a song that could nearly pass for an unreleased track from Arcade Fire’s Funeral sessions.



Stripped down and straightforward, You Know People, I Know People is anomalous in its simplicity and honesty. The band has plenty of room to experiment on future releases, but for now the guys are showing the world that they can write and execute good pop songs.



-Harold Zimm



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