R B Morris
Take That Ride
OHBOY
R B Morris has a keen eye and a good ear. He has picked up some of the best pieces of the culture he comes from and melded it into a first class act. This Knoxville native has studied his forebears. He crafts his art in his own way while building on the foundation of both his earlier and later influences. It’s hard to tell which influenced him first, but my guess would be that it was rock and roll. Bluegrass and mountain music influences are certainly evident, but it’s rock and roll that he’s really got down. It’s stripped-down and funky without being too dirty. Some of it, such as “The Ballad of Thunder Road,” is timeless. His duet on “Roy,” with signer and label-owner John Prine, is an instant classic. It’s a damn-near perfect song.
This release is pretty diverse, style-wise. While it’s more what you’d probably call alt-country or Americana, some of these cuts would fit right in and be better than a good bit of the programming on alternative radio. You’ll never hear it there, and it’s a real shame. This mountain boy is probably one of the most literate and talented new acts of the last ten years.
