James Vincent McMorrow to float through Berkeley 11/29

James Vincent McMorrow captures that foggy, dreamlike folk reminiscent of early Bon Iver, but with the gravelly rumbles of an Irish accent hidden under layers of falsetto, floaty synths, and the kind of sentimental guitar-picking meant for non-ironically gazing out of rainy windows. On a train, maybe. Somewhere in County Cork.

His latest album, We Move, released in September, moves the same direction that Justin Vernon did with 22, A Million – synths to create a more electronica-heavy vibe, more carefully crafted autotune, more reliance on a beat as opposed to an unaccompanied guitar – albeit, at least to me, benevolently vulnerable and with no effort to be as esoteric as 22, A Million. You’ll also find more variety on We Move, from the soul beats of “I Lie Awake Every Night” to the more pop-influenced “Rising Waters”. McMorrow’s development from his fairly homogeneous album Early in the Morning (2010) to putting down roots in his presently expanding style is not to be missed – catch him tomorrow night at The UC Theatre to hear for yourself. For tickets, click here; for more tour dates, click here.

Article by Kavitha George