Photo by Amy Harrity
Still Life is an ironic title of an album for Kevin Morby. For the past few years, he’s been anything but still, playing with bands like Woods and the Babies, and he recently relocated to L.A. from New York. He chronicled this move in his solo debut, 2013’s Harlem River, looking back wistfully on his former home.
New York still hangs over Still Life–out October 14–but Morby has let in a little California breeziness. He teamed up with Rob Barbato again, a producer known for his work with fellow Pacific Coast folkie Cass McCombs. Still Life has few bells and whistles, opting for a warm, in-the-room sound that allows Morby plenty of room to spin his magic. He’s got a little Lou Reed-like drawl in his voice, and he pays homage to the late rock pioneer on a few songs. On “All Of My Life,” Morby taps into a ’60s folk-rock vibe, asking questions that he’s not sure he’ll ever get the answer to.
