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"Undiscovered" is the title track and the piano intro harks back to "Under the Influence", although it doesn't have quite the same jaunty edge. However, this is certainly somewhere between the sound of the opening two tracks, being a pop-soul song with a slight jazz tinge running through ... Read review
greats like Cat Stevens, Otis Redding, and Van Morrison, debut album Undiscovered reveals this Rugby-born vocalist has the sort of world-weary voice and songwriting chops to take the LaterWith Jools Holland path to mainstream success thats formerly made stars of Damien Rice, James Blunt, and former tour-mate Corinne Bailey Rae. In keeping with his soul influences, much of Undiscovered has a full, warm multi-instrumental sound neatly rendered by Martin Terefe, producer for the likes of KT Tunstall and Ron Sexsmith. "Under The Influence", a passionate upfront love song, is borne along on florid piano and Beatles-esque string arrangements, while the tear-stained "Wonderful World" matches its emotional message ("I know that its a wonderful world/ But I cant feel it right now") with optimistic brass and cascading percussion. Album stand-outs come with "You Give Me Something" and the closing "Better Man", a solo acoustic number that really showcases the range of Morrisons voice. Purists may still baulk at the prospect of a white lad from the North of England singing soul, but the sure success of Undiscovered ought to prove that a strong voice will always be the bottom line .--Louis Pattison
greats like Cat Stevens, Otis Redding, and Van Morrison, debut albumUndiscoveredreveals this Rugby-born vocalist has the sort of world-weary voice and songwriting chops to take theLaterWith Jools Hollandpath to mainstream success thats formerly made stars of Damien Rice, James Blunt, and former tour-mate Corinne Bailey Rae. In keeping with his soul influences, much ofUndiscoveredhas a full, warm multi-instrumental sound neatly rendered by Martin Terefe, producer for the likes of KT Tunstall and Ron Sexsmith. "Under The Influence", a passionate upfront love song, is borne along on florid piano and Beatles-esque string arrangements, while the tear-stained "Wonderful World" matches its emotional message ("I know that its a wonderful world/ But I cant feel it right now") with optimistic brass and cascading percussion. Album stand-outs come with "You Give Me Something" and the closing "Better Man", a solo acoustic number that really showcases the range of Morrisons voice. Purists may still baulk at the prospect of a white lad from the North of England singing soul, but the sure success ofUndiscoveredought to prove that a strong voice will always be the bottom line .--Louis Pattison
A review by Soho_Black on Undiscovered - James Morrison December 31st, 2006
Author's product rating:
Originality
Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics
Thought-provoking
Quality and consistency of tracks
Mixed
How does it compare to the artist's other releases
Not applicable
Value for Money
Good
Advantages:
A wonderfully souldful vocal
Disadvantages:
Not much variation of sound and style
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
For a former long haired rocker who still counts Thunder and Terrorvision as his favourite bands, I have a perhaps surprising affinity for the music of Stevie Wonder. For this, I blame (or rather, credit) a former flatmate, who had a habit of playing her music far too loud and far too late into the night. When she moved out I discovered I missed her music more than I missed her, although I did enjoy sleeping properly at nights.
Recently I became aware of a song called "You Give Me Something", which made me think of Stevie Wonder every time I heard it. I couldn't work out if it was a new song by Stevie Wonder or, when I found out it was by someone called James Morrison, a very accurate cover version of one of his songs.
Suddenly there were stories of this James Morrison chap all over the place. Depending on which ones you've heard, he was discovered by his next door neighbour; inspired by the memory and support of a close friend who died too young; trading on his middle name, as his surname is actually Catchpole.
What does make Morrison different is that he was discovered in the old fashioned way and plucked from obscurity thanks to a great voice and a great talent, rather than in the crowds of a reality TV show. So these stories are coming to light after his debut release and after everyone has realised he's a talented musician, rather than whilst the public are still deciding if the person in question will be the next big thing. For a change, we have someone who was a great talent before he was a big star, rather than the other way around. There's not huge publicity or fawning interviews to create interest; Morrison's music does all the talking for him and it's proving wonderfully eloquent.
His first utterance comes in the form of "Under the Influence" and it's a great start. It has a pop-jazz sound, something like you'd expect from Jamie Cullum and it has a loose feel, as if it was recorded live and everyone involved was getting off on this track. There's a jaunty beat to it, which if you're listening on the move, you can't help but end up walking in time with a dif you're not, you can't help tapping your foot.
Next up is "You Give Me Something", the song that launched Morrison to stardom. It's far more laid back that the opener, being a simple ballad type pop song, with a soulful edge. When I first heard the song, it reminded me of Stevie Wonder and my feeling hasn't changed, although it should be emphasized that the sound is more of the 1980s poppier version of Stevie Wonder, rather than his more soulful 1970s sound.
The pace picks up a little for "Wonderful World", although it's still another soul tinged pop song. The track sounds a bit more like Daniel Powter's music here, with it being more of a pop song with a soul influence than being a soul song with a pop influence. It's not a bad track, but the weakest on the album so far.
It's back to a slower pace again for "The Pieces Don't Fit Anymore", which is very much a standard pop ballad. There's not really a great deal more to it than that, although it does liven up a little bit in the chorus, but it's still a pop ballad even then. You could change the vocals on this song between pretty much any singer and it would fit in quite nicely. I fancy that Westlife would have had a decent stab at this one. It's a shame, as Morrison's jazz and soul edge was what set him apart and he's lost that here. It's not a bad song, but it's nothing new.
There's a bit of an R 'n' B edge to the intro to "One Last Chance". Morrison's vocals have more of a soulful edge again, but as with the previous track, there's little to set it apart from anything else out there. The vocals a 1980s pop-soul sound and remind me a lot of Terence Trent D'Arby. Essentially, though, this is a very standard track; not bad, but nothing really spectacular.
"Undiscovered" is the title track and the piano intro harks back to "Under the Influence", although it doesn't have quite the same jaunty edge. However, this is certainly somewhere between the sound of the opening two tracks, being a pop-soul song with a slight jazz tinge running through it. The vocals again having that 1980s Stevie Wonder influence and tip this song more towards the sound of "You Give Me Something". This is more like the James Morrison sound I would prefer to be hearing, so it's another favourite of mine.
There's another fairly jaunty beat running through "The Letter", although it's more laid back and down tempo than "Under the Influence". Morrison's musical inspiration here has clearly been the 1980s pop scene and once more, this evokes memories of Terence Trent D'Arby in both the vocal and the music.
This general sound continues for "Call the Police", although it's a slightly more up tempo track and towards the end does cut loose a little more, adding an electric guitar for the edge to give it a strange almost 1960s Beatles kind of sound in parts. It can get a little messy in parts, as the music does over power the vocals when this happens, but it's not a bad track.
It's back towards the ballad type sound, this time a guitar led ballad, for "This Boy", although it does turn into something a little more up tempo and poppy later on in the track and then turns again into a more party type sound, a little like "Under the Influence", although without the jazz edge. As with much of the album, this is mostly a pop track with a soulful edge and once more, the vocals sound a little like Terence Trent D'Arby.
The vocals reclaim their Stevie Wonder sound for "If the Rain Must Fall". This one is another pop-soul ballad which, like much on the album, is distinctive mostly for the quality of the vocal. Other than this, it's very much background music, rather than party music, although the same could be said for much of the album.
There's a slightly darker tone to "How Come" with the guitar and piano taking on a more bass edge. This is a slightly more up tempo tune, but it's much the same as what has gone before, being a soul-pop track with vocals that sound a little more like Terence Trent D'Arby again this time around, although when he stretches himself at various points in the song, you can again hear hints of Stevie Wonder in the vocals and the horn section is more reminiscent of his sound as well.
Ending an album with a track called "The Last Goodbye" would be a bit of a cliché, which is something Morrison has managed to avoid so far. He does again, making this the penultimate track. Despite some interesting synthesiser noises and a string section, this is a pretty bland sounding pop ballad again. Once more, it's only Morrison's soulful vocal that sets this apart from anyone else.
The album does end on "Better Man". Unfortunately, it continues the somewhat bland ending to what was such a promising album. Again, Morrison's soul tinged vocal makes the difference between this being just anybody's guitar led pop ballad. With the last few songs from the album being largely indistinguishable from each other, this is a highly disappointing end to an album which began with such promise.
Despite the somewhat bland nature of some of the songs, particularly towards the end of the album, I did enjoy Morrison's debut. It's not exactly world shaking, being mostly down tempo pop influenced songs, much like you can get anywhere. What makes this album stand out, however, is Morrison's voice. Unlike most of what you'll hear today, he does have a delightfully soulful delivery and that is enough to escalate many of the tracks here above the mundane.
This is really only background music, something to listen to in the midst of doing something else. There's not a great deal here that will interrupt your reverie if you're listening to it that way. This is by no means a spectacular album, but it is wonderfully relaxing and if you like 1980s style pop-soul music, it's a very good example of the art. Of course, if you're a fan of other genres, you'll likely be pretty bored, as Morrison doesn't tend to deviate from his strengths and nothing here is likely to change your mind, as good as it is.
If this is your thing, the album is pretty good value, having 13 tracks and a playing time of around 51 minutes. Whilst prices are still generally fairly high, with CD Wow offering the cheapest new copies at £7.99 and even the Amazon Marketplace charging £5.47. Copies have been seen starting from 99p from eBay, but may not end up selling for that price.
Come the end of an album like this, you realise that it doesn't matter which of the stories about James Morrison may be true. A lot of the times, things are hyped up more than they deserve, but Morrison is the opposite. Quite frankly, it wouldn't have mattered if Morrison had been surrounded by all sorts of hype, as the cream will always rise to the top. The real tragedy with this album would have been if Morrison had remained undiscovered and we had never heard of him. Thankfully, this is no longer a concern.
More Reviews
A New Discovery Review ofUndiscovered - James Morrisonby
Essexgirl2006
Advantages: Pleasant, easy tracks Disadvantages: Few too many ballads of lost love
...this song. Undiscovered in the albums's title track and in it Morrison invites a lady (presumably) to look a bit deeper, and try and find the real him. It is a very uplifting song, almost gospel in parts with a female vocal chorus. The Letter is about receiving a letter from a lover and being afraid to open it. Again, it is quite bluesy with the emphasis on gravelly vocals, drums and some harmonica. Call The Police is not about a criminal act but ... ...of a relationship. I don't think I am alone in starting to see a pattern here?! It is a good rock song and has a fabulous guitar riff that is rather Nirvana-esque (an influence, along with Hendrix, I was initially surprised that Morrison had) and it rather works with Morrison's raw edged vocals belting out. I like muchly and easily my favourite. This Boy was apparently written by Morrison a few years ago when he wasn't seeing eye to eye with his ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Originality
Lyrics
Quality and consistency...
How does it compare to ...
Value for Money
very helpful
21.09.2006
Blandorama Review ofUndiscovered - James Morrisonby
TheIncredibleCheeseSandwich
Advantages: James has a pleasant voice Disadvantages: Most of the songs are dull
The mid-naughties saw a rise in popularity of that previous staple of the late 1960's, the earnest singer songwriter. Normally the preserve of a select circle of enthusiasts, the genre found itself thrust into the spotlight as record companies needed to plug a gap in the market vacated by the "name" acts like U2 and Radiohead who were taking extended hiata from releasing new product. Suddenly we were presented with a whole plethora of singers - Blunt, ... ...Bedingfields to name but five - and also James "don't call me Jim" Morrison. Born 10/07/84 in Rugby, Warwicks., Morrison shares a name with the famous frontman of the Doors, LA's premier late 60's act. There endeth the similarities. Morrison's, James' that is, debut offering "Undiscovered" which put him at the top of the charts on its release in summer '06, comprises a set of songs varying between soft rock and blue eyed soul. Whilst pleasant enough, ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Refreshing, thought provoking and soulful Disadvantages: None that immediately spring to mind!
I first heard about James Morrison when I went to see Corinne Bailey Rae in concert back in April, He was her support act and I have to say he was mind blowing then, even with just a couple of guys supporting him on guitar. Tracks that stood out then are the ones that stand out for me on the album - You Give Me Something (current single) and Better Man (last track on the album).
I may be a bit of a softie but when my other half gave me the album ... ...welled up a little. Perhaps I read a little too much into song lyrics!!
On the whole the majority of the 13 tracks are fantastic and he has the right mix of upbeat songs with ones that you can chill out too. Other star tracks apart from the 2 I mention above are This Boy - upbeat, James with his guitar at their best, How Come - just suits me, can't explain, The Last Goodbye - is the longest track on the album, it starts slowly but builds to a beautiful ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: excellent, new soul Disadvantages: none
...relative )his debut album Undiscovered is a great one. Another new talent who is bringing something different to the table is a welcome refreshment into the song writting world. Gosh having said that there are some great new people about at the moment. I downloaded his album for £7.49. 1. Under The Influence
2. You Give Me Something
3. Wonderful World
4. Pieces Don't Fit Anymore
5. One Last Chance
6. Undiscovered
7. Letter
8. Call The Police
... ...and has fabulously strong lyrics. Undiscovered is a catchy piano based track, whilst If the rain must fall is a real soul bassy track with great vocals. How Come is instantly likeable and catchy a little more upbeat and strong. The powerful soulful voice in the accoustic Better Man demonstrates his vocal range and great texture, a great song, where you can clearly pick up his influences. This is a guy that will take your breath away, his voice is ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: Excelent lyrics and soulful rifts Disadvantages: None!
As we all know britain has been churning the indie bands and all kinds of bands as fast as we can, thers new bands every month if not week so its very pleasing to come across a solo artist with such a fresh new sound and approach to the industry. His debut single "you give me something" is completely original with a very catchy rift and rhythm to it, something which will go down very well. i feel british solo male artists have found it difficult ... ...success of James Blunt the public and record labels alike have listened and people like James Morrison are now emerging fresh faced and with beautiful songs and lyrics. his music is influnced by greats such as otis redding and van morrison and you can hear this in his soulful voice and lyrics aswel as rhythms. I only hope that people do not see the fresh new male solo artists as jumping on the bandwagon of James blunt and trying to have the same ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: Easy to listen to.. Catchy songs.. Very accoustic feel Disadvantages: None
...JamesMorrison - Undiscovered
Track Listings :
*1. Under The Influence
*2. You Give Me Something
*3. Wonderful World
*4. Pieces Don't Fit Anymore
*5. One Last Chance
*6. Undiscovered
*7. Letter
*8. Call The Police
*9. This Boy
*10. If The Rain Must Fall
*11. How Come
*12. Last Goodbye
*13. Better Man
When i bought this album for a friend I didn't think much of it, but Ive found that this album definately grows on you.. Its an easy album to listen to and has an accoustic feel to it.. In a way it reminds me of Daniel Beddingfieds' last album but without the synth sounds..
Under the Influence (*1) is a good opening track, upbeat and a catchy tune.
You Give me Something (*2) is one of the tracks that was recently released in the UK charts, and I believe it went to number 1. A song about falling in love i think...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: Amazing voice, great songs, so relaxing Disadvantages: none at all
...JamesMorrison is an english artist with sensational ability, this is his first album - undiscovered, and after hearing it, i cant wait to hear his next one. The album was mostly produced by Martin Terefe who also produced the likes of KT Tunstall. JamesMorrison co wrote all of the songs on the album with his band members.
This album was top of all charts, including top of the itunes download chart. At aged 21 there is plenty more to come from this young man. The album won James the best male solo artist at the brit awards earlier this year.
The album contains 13 songs, the titles and what each song is about are as follows :
1.: Under The Influence- A very catchy song about how a girl has him under her influence.
2.: You Give Me Something - a fantastic song, his first song he released and it was a great success, a love...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: "You Give Me Something" is an all time classic track. Disadvantages: The rest is not good in my opinion.
...I bought this album because I had become absolutely hooked on listening to the quite marvelous hit single "You Give Me Something" which quite justifiably was almost played to death on radio and television in 2006.
This was the time when Morrison, James Blunt, Jack Johnson etc were all massively in vogue and you could say that I got "puffed in" a little into buying the album.
However, having unwrapped and played the whole album I found that in my opinion apart from the aforementioned "You Give Me Something" the album is a dreary load of moany, depressing sounding tosh.
Track 3 "Wonderful World" is okay but the rest is not so good. I do still love his voice and "You Give Me Something" is worth any 10 other decent tracks so I am not complaining.
I suppose if you just like his voice a lot then you could enjoy the whole piece.
Full track...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful
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