Photo Courtesy of morrisseyandmarshall.com
Irish “folk ‘n’ roll” duo Darren Morrissey and Greg Marshall just announced that they will be headlining at The Workmans Club Dublin on September 26th! With a sound akin to that of The Kinks, The Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, and The Dubliners, this is sure to be a show you won’t want to miss. To get you hyped for Morrissey and Marshall‘s upcoming show, FDRMX has reviewed their debut album, which was released on 31st of March 2014, titled “And So It Began” below.
The title track opener starts with bluesy-rock guitars and a beat that’s irresistible to tap your toe to. Then a sustaining organ fills up the midrange of the tune, and the guys come in with Beatles style vocal harmonies. Finger-wagging lyrics advise “May will come back to rain on you,” to the listener who left a girl. “And So It Began” nicely sets the mood for the rest of the folksy-rock ballad the rest of the album serenades you with.
“Old Tree” is a lovely waltz with sweet acoustic guitar strumming, coupled with clever lyrics such as, “I can’t preach what I write because I never wrote it right.” The duo maintains their identifiable harmonies which only goes to prove that Morrissey and Marshall have the necessary ear for pulling off the sound they’re aiming for. Following the soft yet upbeat ballad of “In Need of Guidance,” which features even trickier harmonies ala the Everly Brothers, we have the band’s hit single “I’ve Got a Plan.” This call-to-arms tune makes you feel like you can darn well do it, whatever it is you’ve got to do. The unexpected peppy chants break up the slower-song-succession located in the middle of the album.
When we thought we’d seen the best of the duo’s harmonic abilities, they throw “Mantra” at us. Minimalist instrumental allow the listener to really feel the vocals surround them. A classic rock beat with tambourine, soft organ and happy rhythm guitar support the stirring vocals of this inspiring tune. “We Are the One” is another pleasant surprise on “And So It Began.” Tambourine aplenty with rock guitar strumming while the vocals fade “Wander away….” directly into the closing song.
“High and Low” pulls more from the American folk music genre. An Old West guitar tinge with Morrissey’s and Marshall’s vocal drawl makes this song definitely grittier than most of the other tracks. About halfway through, the drums pick up and a muff guitar takes over the riff changing the sound from folk to down-n-dirty blues rock. We are now officially stoked for their upcoming show. You can get tickets here. Watch Morrissey and Marshall’s music video for “I’ve Got A Plan” below.