Morningbell
Sincerely, Severely
(Orange Records, 2009)

In the midst of all the mayhem before the holidays, when tours and record releases slowed down and everything new on the radar seemed buried in the far-away throes of mid-January, a little album by a little band called Morningbell crossed my desk. I’d never heard them, or in fact, even heard of them, so I had no expectations whatsoever upon importing it into my iTunes and sitting through an uninterrupted listen of the album as I went about my work. And as is every music editor’s hope upon being sent new material, I quickly realized that this is something worth listening to. This is the story of a mid-level band, 10 years old, four albums in, relatively obscure beyond the Southeastern region of the States. But, should they fall on the right ears—or enough ears—Morningbell could find a great deal of exposure and mounting popularity as they kick off the new decade.

Sincerely, Severely is pure psychedelic pop and neo-soul, but also veers into anthemic indie rock and flirts with Southern rock. Delivered by a Florida quartet, led by brothers Travis and Eric Atria, it marks the sound of a band that’s affected enough to sound completely impressionable but versed in enough different styles of music to pull everything together—and more importantly, pull it off. While some bands that play within a number of different genres run the risk of exposing their identity crisis, Sincerely, Severely reveals a group that can, even within the course of one song, get whimsically pop, deeply nostalgic, and hugely exuberant, fully realizing and then executing their own singular vision. Morningbell is on the cusp of emerging as a fully-evolved musical group (don’t forget they formed all the way back in 2000), but are still earnest enough to deliver their multi-textured arrangements imbued in a sunny flavor that’s all their own.

Every song on the Sincerely, Severely is pretty good, and for a 14-track album, that’s nothing to sneeze at. “Let’s Not Lose Our Heads” kicks it off with vigorous pop (“what ever happens next, let’s not lose our heads”) but the vocal screech on the second track, “Marching Off to War”, randomly sounds like Jane’s Addiction (swear to god), and evidences their talent for psychedelic layering. The title track is downright soulful, a love song replete with horns and smooth-as-butter vocals (“I get right down to loving you, I do it right, you know I would”), proving the dexterity of Travis Atria’s falsetto that honestly had me checking their band photos to make sure he was indeed a white boy from Florida. “Pictures of the Sun”, single-worthy and an album highlight, is the song that makes you move, with its sweet, undeniable bass groove. “Good Morning, I’m Here” is without a doubt Florida’s answer to You Forgot It in People-era Broken Social Scene, and “Oh, Return” is all climbing chords and keyboards—full, beautiful, and textured.

Sincerely, Severely is shiny and brims with promise, the layered arrangements showcasing the depth and musical aptitude of this band. It’s entirely enjoyable, unexpected, and fun. This is a band of playful reconciliations, ear-candy bites, and smooth transitions, friendly and suggestive and one to watch in 2010.

Listen: Various Tracks [at myspace.com]

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