***MORNING GLORY first became the spark of an idea back in 2001 when EZRA KIRE (LEFTOVER CRACK, CHOKING VICTIM, INDK) took time off from touring and started to write and record some songs in his NYC apartment. Built on the backbone of ska, punk, crust, metal, much like his other work, the songs Ezra wrote for Morning Glory served as an outlet for the expanded spectrum of his songwriting. Though, with all the other bands and endless touring, Morning Glory never evolved very far from its fledgling stages. Until now. Armed with years of new material, Ezra decided to finally give Morning Glory the attention it deserved, regrouping the live band with a new line up including EARLY GATES on drums, “METAL” CHRIS on bass, SHAWN GARDINER and ADAM SCHRAGER on guitar, and spending months in the studio under the production of JESSE CANNON (The Menzingers, Saves the Day). The result is their debut Fat Wreck release, as well as their first studio full-length, Poets Were My Heroes. This epic album is a sonic kaleidoscope of punk noise melding strings, horns, choirs, pianos and organs over a web of distorted guitars and marching, single kick pedal drums. It is both grand and elaborate, with each song evoking a different mood and style, challenging the musicianship of even the most dexterous players, while still maintaining its punk-inspired simplicity and catchy anthemic sound throughout. Beyond the music itself, the message of the songs on Poets Were My Heroes differential themselves from the...
2XLP $32.25
08/28/2012
***After years of germinating as an alternative creative outlet and a side project for EZRA KIRE (LEFTOVER CRACK, CHOKING VICTIM, INDK), MORNING GLORY finally established itself as a full-fledged band with the 2012 release of their first studio full-length Poets Were My Heroes. Less than two years later Ezra has kept the ball rolling and compiled an astounding follow-up to their acclaimed debut. Built around the nucleus of their unique sound (a punk, ska, crust base that when supplemented by piano, strings, brass, and electronic elements expands into an entity beyond description), War Psalms sees Morning Glory’s style elevated to new heights. MG’s songs are already identified by their anthemic choruses, evocative crescendos, and diverse arrangements, but War Psalms offers something even greater. It is a true album. A cohesive collection of songs that share a motif and aura across all the tracks despite their extremely varied tempos and moods. There are some moments so grand and emotive that they are reminiscent of a movie soundtrack composed through the lens of punk rock. Yet, even amongst the continuity of the album, War Psalms still houses plenty of those impossibly catchy stand-alone singles that Morning Glory is known for, such as “Standard Issue,” “Nationality Anthem,” and “This Kool-Aid Is Delicious.” War Psalms is a rare accomplishment in songwriting and promises to pilot the band further along their already rapidly rising trajectory. (STREET DATE - 3/04/2014)
LP $25.50
03/04/2001