Jeremy Morris and Guillermo Cazenave bring together their influences and songwriting skills for this double cd offering 'Two Suns'. The results are that some songs sit in between musical genres and then sometimes others are very straightforward and purely melody driven. There are distinct Andalucian flavours here and there provided by what one assumes is Guill's guitar playing although Jeremy can handle most genre's too, so it would be unwise to attribute it all to Mr Cazenave, however it works well whoever plays it!
As with most releases by Jeremy Morris, there's is no worrying about making sure that the listener can predict how all the music will sound, because, as ever, you are required to go with the flow and allow Jeremy to take you wherever he feels it necessary to go musically. In these modern times where music is placed into such tight pigeon holes, it's always refreshing to hear musicians take some risks and make the listener expand their horizons somewhat.
The album opens with the short but atmospheric instrumental 'Secret Agent'' which has a nagging acoustic guitar motif and almost sounds like chamber music in places. As a contrast, the next song, called 'I Know About It', is a slow vocal ballad with prominent electric 12 string guitar supporting Jeremy's vocal sung in a convincing Lennon style. 'Alone' has 'ambient' overtones to accompany a short sharp ballad about loss. 'Tell Me How' resonates with sitar sounds, whilst instrumental track 'Vision' has a suggestion of more sitar in the background in support of some crystal clear and precise acoustic guitar playing.
The second cd continues in largely the same manner, mixing up musical genres. 'Walking To The End' Starts off with an acoustic guitar and then builds with tasteful electric guitar, reminding one of Jan Akkerman before the vocals take center stage. 'Home In The Sky' is a gentle piano ballad ruminating on the passing of a loved one and closing track 'Truth' takes one on a musical journey that starts off with ambient sounds and progresses through vocal sections and then a backwards 'tape' climax that brings the whole thing to a majestic close.
The whole tone and timbre of the album is of gentle and tasteful guitar playing, with lofty and sometimes dramatic ambient sounds, along with melodic vocal accompaniment. All in all, it is an assured collaboration between two very talented musicians bringing together their influences on this double cd set.
Reviewed by Kevin Wallbank
05/27/09
