Prolific is one thing, but being prolific and maintaining a high level of excellence in the process proves to be an entirely different kettle of fish. Jeremy Morris, however, is blessed with both attributes.
For the past couple of decades, the Michigan-based singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist has been producing several albums a year, which never fail to contain all killer and no filler. And if creating his own music so often isn’t enough to keep him occupied, not to mention his legions of fans happy, he also operates JAM Recordings, a universally respected label promoting various hues of pop rock.
Here on Jeremy’s latest effort Love Explosion, his own distinguished brand of pop rock is vaulted into thrilling new dimensions. Twinkling twelve-string riffs rest bumper to bumper with blistering rhythms, while smartly sculpted arrangements and a surplus of fertile melodies add extra weight to the already strong material.
Positive messages are transmitted in droves throughout Love Explosion, managed by an emphasis on faith in a better and brighter tomorrow, be it the psychical consciousness we now inhabit in or the afterlife.
The spirit of the Byrds is continuously resurrected, most notably on tunes like the super catchy “Save Me From Myself,” the absolutely euphoric “Rise Above The Clouds” and the utterly infectious “Radiant Future Days,” which sneaks snippets of sizzling psychedelic angles into the jingling jangling jamboree.
A paisley-papered presence further arrives on the fat and crunchy “Not Of This World,” and on “Street Called Straight,” loping blues licks are dispatched with clarity and finesse before culminating into a distorted mass of freaky feedback.
The title track of the record soars and shimmers with earnest exuberance, where “Breaking Out Of This Cage” booms belligerently to a harsh tenor pointing towards a flair for classic heavy metal.
Rippling with lucidity, Jeremy’s vocals are as vibrant as a summer morning, and his guitar work is simply astounding. Blazing power chords alternate nicely between subtler pluckings, resulting in some of the finest and nimblest finger-picking imaginable. The influences of George Harrison, Roger McGuinn, Pete Townshend and Ritchie Blackmore are definitely evident.
Not a single man show, Love Explosion (JAM Recordings) includes the invaluable talents of bassist Todd Borsch and drummer David Dietrich, and Alison Gruner plays cello on “Love Is Alive,” which closes the record on an elegant note.
Fusing big pop hooks with hard rock applications has been done many times in the past, but it takes a special musician to pull the practice off properly. Jeremy certainly has the drive, passion and intuition to bring the elements together, and “Love Explosion” observes just how skilled he is at accomplishing such a goal.
Surging onward and upward with great songs aimed to move the body and the soul, Love Explosion is truly a rewarding listen.
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