Here’s To You
Self-Released, 2023
9/10
The 5th album of original material from the Minnesota songstress, the always impressive Sarah Morris pens an intimate listen that surrounds conversations between partners, lovers, friends and family, and she’s joined by Dave Mehling, Thomas Nordlund, Andrew Foreman and Lars-Erik Larson.
Morris places the title track in the lead off spot, where Foreman’s precise bass plucking and Larson’s agile drumming complement her eloquent singing, and “You Are (Champagne On A Wednesday)” follows with a frisky pace of rhythmic, dance floor friendly song craft that benefits much from cozy synth.
In the middle, the sublime intimacy of “Staggering” showcases Morris’ poetic pipes amid soft acoustic guitar, while “Something That Holds” displays an absorbing dreaminess that’s layered with much beauty.
“Come Back” and “Hello, My Name Is” exit the listen, where the former offers a hazy bit of modern indie-folk that’s minimally gorgeous, and the latter continues the delicate climate that builds into a subtly powerful, ebullient finish.
The singer-songwriter pool in the Twin Cities is deep with talent, but I feel very confident saying that Morris is among the best, and Here’s To You is another excellent body of work in the area of Americana, country and folk song craft.
Travels well with: Kelley Smith- Moon Child; Madeline Rosene- Everyday Existential Crisis