Search - R.B. Morris :: Zeke & The Wheel

Stellar Follow-up to Take That Ride

Scott McNutt | 12/23/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Redemption, whether personal, communal, or global, is the theme that loosely ties Morris's latest collection of songs together, and it is a theme that suits Morris's songwriting. In this case, redemption is not necessarily religious, and even on those songs where the lyrics stray into religious territory (Someone Was Listenin', Lest We All Lose), it is clear that Morris is not content to wait for salvation to come from some omniscient being in the sky. The ongoing human struggle to treat each other with respect and dignity is the backdrop for Morris's mini-dramas, as reflected in the lyrics from Maybe the Soul: Maybe the soul can still be pure/ I'd like to think it's true/ There's something there for sure/ But I ain't got a clue/ There's laws of man, and laws of God/ and laws of nature too/ There's judges everywhere you look/ But they're all outlaws too.Musically, Morris retains his same eclectic stylings, moving from bouncy pop to hard rock, and on through gospel, folk, and blues with ease. (There's even a Christmas song!) If anything, the songs on this album demonstrate a greater comfort with blending different styles within the same song, rather than simply jumping into different styles in each song (although there are stll some awkward transitions). All in all, an excellent album, and a must for anyone who likes intelligent lyrics coupled with catchy musical hooks."

Discover this man!

J. Reynolds | Far From Inner Asia | 12/30/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"R.B. Morris is a fine example of just how good you can be and how little airplay you can get. Damn Shame. This album (beautifully produced by R.S. Field) is full of top-notch songwriting and great sonic scapes. The guitar players produce some fabulous riffs and textures, to boot. Buy it, I say, buy it now... and look for R.B. on the road... he's always out there."

Why ain't this guy famous?

11/05/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The poor guy who made a coaster out of this CD would probably never have done that if he had listened to the CD more than once or twice. I have to admit R.B. Morris went over my head on my first listen and I might have done the same with the CD if I hadn't taken the advice of a friend.My friend said, "R.B. Morris is a genius."So, I played the CD again and really listened. Man, this guy really is a genius! Thank God I didn't make a caoster out of my copy. I play that CD over and over and over, and each time I see with greater depth the true profundity of this artist's imagery. Every listen is like peeling back a new layer of emotional expression which leaves me haunted with the message in his mood for hours afterward. It's just so damn clever, but at the same time, so honest, so real...so brilliant. There is a poet of the highest caliber lurking under this persona of a beer drinking, wandering bard.
For example, there is a song that says there is a still (like a moonshine still) inside each of us that produces our own elixer of life so why do we need a distillery to come in and take it over and tell us what to believe? Who would have thought spirituality was like a liquor still? Who would have compared the church to a distillery? R.B. Morris does and he makes such a notion so clear that I can feel the vapors in my very soul.I think I'll have a little nip by playing that CD again right now."