RON MORRIS
"Speak True": A Review

    Ron Morris' music has been described as "a folk/pop mix of carefully crafted tunes defined by his characteristically unique voice and catchy hooks". In the time that Ron has been performing live throughout the New York City music scene, he has enjoyed a good deal of popularity not just for the music itself, but also because of his charismatic presence and his engaging interaction with his audiences. His debut CD is called "Speak True", a verse taken from the opening track-- and the CD's title lives up to the simple message that Ron appears to be trying to convey throughout the album: Don't do (or say, or sing about...) what you THINK. Do (or say, or sing about...) what you FEEL. Indeed, his lyrics are simple, earnest, and from the heart. He's got the voice to match. It's simultaneously vulnerable yet strong, yearning yet reassuring. Originally from Florida and now based in New York, he claims no Southern heritage, but his persona and musical style are very clearly rooted in country music. First, there's the purity of his sound. It's music without gimmickry or synthetic tricks. To demonstrate this, two of the selections on "Speak True"-- "Now Appearing" and "Stirring Angels"-- are stripped-down, guitar-and-vocals-only tracks which bring his message home to the listener very effectively. In addition, there's the music itself, all of which Ron Morris has written. While his lyrics and delivery are honest, sincere, and often displaying some naked emotions, there's an underlying feeling of strength and just a tad of emotional reserve (intentionally or not) that puts Ron and his music very much in the spirit of the men of C & W. The first track,"Have to Do", ostensibly explores the conflict faced by so many aspiring and independent musicians: "They don't quite get you-- When you step up, and they talk on, giving a wave of the hand; They don't quite play right-- When it's high stakes, big bucks, all supply and demand...". The song, ripe with quietly stimulating guitar rifts and background vocals, explores that struggle through the question echoed in the song's chorus: "What do I have to do?":

"What do I have to do? For the good life, For the big time
What do I have to give? To keep up, To play nice
Speak True...
What do I have to do?"

    Being a performer-- specifically, the schism between the man on stage vs. the man behind the music-- is also explored in he stunning, painfully candid "Now Appearing" later on in the CD. In "The Atmosphere", the starkness of the song (Perhaps to replicate "the atmosphere" spoken of in the song title...), and the quiet romanticism and honesty in Ron's voice, elevates what is essentially a simple story about two people whose eyes meet at a bar. The same effect is created in "Come Home Tonight". In a few moments throughout the CD, Ron occasionally experiments with some different sounds: "Dark Parts", the third track, indeed takes a more (true to its name) dark approach-- it's more moody, ethereal, and almost psychadelic. "This Morning" is a much-welcomed, more upbeat track with some exotic-sounding rhythms. The song very effectively conveys that excitement and joy of the first time being with a new lover. "Bring on the Blue" brings in the cello, courtesy of Linda Lymke, for a great effect. The war-minded state of the world is explored in "OK":

"...I read the New York Times today, and just went back to bed.
Yes, the world's in disarray,
I wonder does it matter what I say?
When CNN has labeled all of this OK."
He goes on to sing:
"And it's painful,
And it's shameful,
As the world falls down, and I move about my day,
Like everything will be OK..."

    Critics may kvetch about "Speak True"'s unapologetic, unyielding sentimentality, or the CD's noticable lack of cynicism. Clearly, Ron's music is more about the irreplicable feeling of a high school crush (even for those of us not in high school anymore!) rather than the more challenging aspects sides of love. Even his songs that comment about issues like the music scene ("Have to Do") and the state of the world ("OK") seem to display more of a boyish naivete rather than the rebel image that we see so often in the indy music scene today. "Speak True" reminds us that sometimes we need to get "back to basics" when we express ourselves through music... but I have no doubt that in the next few years, we'll be seeing many new dimensions to Ron Morris and his music. What's bound to emerge is a bear with real bite!

     Check out www.RonMorrisMusic.com for more.