Search - Morley :: Sun Machine

Presently ranks as my FAVORITE CD!

10/04/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I heard a clip off Sun Machine on NPR one evening, and my curiosity was piqued enough to buy - Unfortunately, the store had only one copy sent to them. I got it! But,it saddens me to know that others aren't experiencing her groove! If you like Seal, Simply Red, or Sade - then definitely buy her stuff! You'll get hooked!"

Morley's "Sun Machine" a warm and winning debut

John Jones | Chicago IL | 10/24/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"She doesn't quite have the chops that Annie Lennox has -after all, who does?- but in between Annie's 1995 set "Medusa" and the 1999 Eurythmics reunion album "Peace," singer/songwriter Morley's debut album helped soothe those of us who were desperately lacking a supple-voiced, R&B-influenced Gothic pop diva. Comparisons to Lennox (as well as two other soul-heavy rock chicks, former Prince sidewomen Wendy & Lisa) are easy enough, but an attentive listen to "Sun Machine" proves she's a unique and innovative talent.Most importantly, the record reminds us of that little-known fact that is so easy to forget: commercial-friendly pop doesn't have to be dumb. "Desert Flowers" deserved to be the sort of huge rock single that you could barely escape on radio; and while music promoters fell asleep on the wheel with this one, the appeal behind the track's sleek vocals, catchy melody, and near-perfect production (complete with infectious hand claps) should be lost on no one with decent hearing. The rhythmic "When I Love You" and the sweetly simple ballad "Slingshots" also could have been poised for popularity, but the album also features some delicious moments that could have never hit it big on radio. "Who Do You Love" features an intoxicatingly sparse production of bass, percussion, and vocals (lots of them - Morley obviously worked overtime singing her own harmonies on this one), and the song's swaying groove makes for one of the most exciting and mature moments in recent pop. "Just Like You" is subtlety itself; the minimalist hook is nonetheless catchy and the sweeping, elegant violin behind it all weaves in and out of the melody for the most gorgeous of aural mosaics. Morley even succeeds at making sex appeal simmer at a slow burn; "Losing My Sleep" would be steamy enough for its sensual groove and production, but lines like "texturous tones bring fire to bones from caressing" (not to mention the loaded statement "tonight I feel like losing my sleep") make you even less tolerant of the overt lyrical come-ons you're subjected to on MTV.As with most debut artists, a couple of missteps are inevitable: after so much originality on the album it's downright irritating to hear her rip off the chorus chords from Sarah McLachlan's "Adia" for her own "High-Low," and she doesn't quite have the vocal range to pull off a duet with strings on "Sin of Reason." Still, the album's big finish, the alternative-rock epic title track that Morley sings with abandon and literally ends with a bang, makes sure that all is forgiven, and your final impression is one of distinct indiviuality. In fact, so unique are Morley's gifts that you might even be hard-pressed to pick out which track is a cover - actually the darkly hypnotic "Slow Hot Wind" was written by Henry Mancini, of all people, certainly a risky, left-field choice of composer for a pop remake. But placed in the center of Morley's brave and graceful "Sun Machine," it makes perfect sense."

More than meets the eye

C. O'Brien | Scotland, UK | 03/29/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"At first listen this sounds like a classy kind soft jazz/easy listening/dinner party background music sort of thing. On second listen, though, much more begins to melt through the shiny surface from underneath and the whole deal starts to get much, much more interesting. First to get under my skin was Joan Wasser's sensual, serpentine, often wild, sometimes multitracked violin; there are others from the same musical and social circles here too, like co-producer Chris Dowd and even Jeff Buckley himself providing guitar on one track. Then Morley's voice itself, which can do far more than you think. the last two tracks on the album, "Sin of Reason" and "Sun Machine" are sublime. Give it a listen, and keep an open mind..."