A New Crush

I'm about to admit something really, really embarrassing. Ready? Okay, here goes.

I'm just now discovering how fantastic James Morrison is. Seriously, I'm in love with this guy. I heard "Nothing Ever Hurt Like You" on the radio a couple of months ago, and fell in love with it. But, being notoriously thrifty, I didn't rush out and buy the CD. Instead, I picked up the CD from the library (I should have known it'd be great because the hold list was as long as my arm), but I finally got it on Tuesday and have been basking in the beauty of James' music ever since.

Why am I so behind the times? I'm sure other people knew he was great way back in 2006 when he started releasing singles with Interscope Records, or even caught on in 2007 when he released his first full-length album, but I'm just now catching on.

But, on the off chance that there is anyone more musically inept out there than I am, anyone who might still be naive to the beautiful music of James Morrison, let me tell you why I love him. Every single song on his album has distinction and a flavor all it's own, but each song flows right through from beginning to end. It's an album that you can listen to from start to finish, no bad songs in the bunch, and at the end, you'll want it again. It starts with the driving horns and thundering piano on "The Only Night" that push you into the pleading and self-abasing lyrics of the soulful "Save Yourself." The scaled down "You Make it Real" is the essential soundtrack to first love. The beauty just continues from there.

I have been listening to it and can't shake the feeling that Songs for You, Truths for Me is the kind of music that you turn on early on Saturday morning while you and your other are puttering around the house, edging into weekend productivity, and it might, if you're lucky, inspire you to have an extemporaneous dance party in your living room. Save the slow dance for my favorite track: "Precious Love."

If you can't see the embedded songs above in your browser or email, click here.