Following a string of singles and a UK headline tour announcement, Americana rock band Morganway are set to release their new record, Back To Zero – an album captured over a wild period in the band’s recent history. Writing and recording took place during 2020s lockdowns and then later fitted around a relentless touring schedule; from forced resets and sudden restarts, its title track served as an appropriate name for the latest body of work from this resilient band.
The tour brings the band to The Joiners, Southampton, on April 16th.
One aspect of Morganway that the band pride themselves on is that while various genres can be picked out from their music, they themselves do not categorise their output into any particular one. “All of us have very different influences and we don’t focus on genre,” says lead vocalist SJ Mortimer. “Even when we don’t all agree something great still comes out, so we hit record and go with it.” With recent single ‘World Stopped Running’ for example, the strummed guitars, singalong hook and chorus make for a rousing and hopeful indie-folk tune. Unafraid to tap into life’s deeper emotions on ‘Sweetest Goodbye’, the group tenderly touch on themes of loss and saying farewell with a simple piano and violin accompaniment, stylistically influenced by Joni Mitchell’s Blue chosen by the song’s co-writer Matt Brocklehurst.
At the other end of the spectrum, the band play in a blaze of fury at great volume on ‘Burn Every Page’. Written in between lockdowns by Mortimer, Callum Morgan and lead guitarist Kieran Morgan, they tap into the collective confusion of the time and channel it into a will to set fire to what came before. With her vocal prowess on full display here, Mortimer is also the band’s rhythm guitarist and explains that “it was written at a time when none of us knew what the f*** was going on! I had this riff and knew I wanted it to be a rocky one.”
Morganway are a Norfolk/Cambridge-based six piece, founded by twins Callum (lead vocals, bass) and Kieran Morgan (guitar, vocals). SJ Mortimer (lead vocals), Matt Brocklehurst (keyboard, vocals), Nicole J Terry (fiddle, vocals) and Ed Bullinger (drums, vocals) complete the lineup. The band’s music has previously seen radio support from the legendary Bob Harris on his BBC Radio 2 show, and has also received airplay on Planet Rock, with press support coming in from the likes of Classic Rock Magazine, Guitar.com, Maverick Magazine, and Entertainment Focus. They have built a name for themselves on the live circuit with their loud and lively rock sound, and have supported stalwarts such as Skunk Anansie, The Shires and Elles Bailey, while also gracing stages at festivals such as Glastonbury, Cambridge Folk Festival, Country 2 Country, and The British Country Music Festival. The band have additionally been named the BCMA (British Country Music Association) ‘Band of the Year’ winning the award in 2021 and 2022, and have also won BCMA’s ‘Best Group’ and UK Country Spotlight Awards’ ‘Best Group’.
Wednesday 12th April – Oporto, Leeds
Thursday 13th April – Asylum, Birmingham
Friday 14th April – Louisiana, Bristol
Saturday 15th April – Omeara, London
Sunday 16th April – Joiners, Southampton
Tuesday 18th April – Deaf Institute, Manchester
Wednesday 19th April – Hug & Pint, Glasgow
Thursday 20th April – Cluny, Newcastle
Friday 21st April – New Adelphi, Hull
Saturday 22nd April – Arts Centre, Norwich
- For tickets to The Joiners, visit: joiners.vticket.co.uk
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