OUT 31ST JANUARY 2025 – PRE-SAVE HERE
WATCH LATEST MUSIC VIDEO ‘I FEEL THE RAIN‘ HERE
With a fierce live reputation and critical acclaim aplenty, Morganway are back with their storming new album Kill The Silence set to be released in the New Year.
Since the release of their last album Back To Zero in 2023, it’s been quite a journey for the self-described ‘Americana rock band’ – Morganway have opened tours for Skunk Anansie, Belle & Sebastian, Elles Bailey and Scarlet Rebels across the UK and Europe, and have graced festival stages at the likes of The Long Road (with their set resulting in Entertainment Focus calling them ‘One of the best bands the UK has to offer… echoing the greats like Fleetwood Mac‘), Belladrum, Towersey Folk Festival, and Cropredy – which received praise from Fairport Convention themselves.
Now the 6-piece have their biggest UK headline tour in their sights, and will be releasing their new album Kill The Silence on 31st January before hitting the road. Recorded live over four intense days at Foel Studios in Wales (fueled by ‘probably four bottles of whiskey and almost no sleep‘ according to guitarist Kieran Morgan), the album showcases the band’s Americana roots, yet there is now a rockier grit to their sound, while their trademark gorgeous harmonies and melodic lines are still ever-present as they set out to channel the spirit of Woodstock. Thematically, the band address the struggle of independent musicians, but they also manage to find life’s bright spots and celebrate them by playing loud.
SJ Mortimer (lead vocalist): ‘This truly feels like a new chapter for us. We poured our souls, blood, sweat, and tears into this album. There’s magic in recording music the “old school” way – plugging in together and playing live, warts and all!‘
Callum Morgan (bass/vocals): ‘Inspired by artists like Bob Dylan and, more recently, Brandi Carlile, we wanted to record as they often do – spontaneously and less rehearsed. When you’re still discovering a song, that’s when the magic happens.‘
‘Start from the beginning,’ sings the album’s anthemic first track ‘Don’t Turn The Lights On Yet‘, an ode to the euphoric rush of playing live and made to sound huge in front of a crowd. On to ‘Boy On The Train‘ and ‘Feels Like Letting Go‘, both offering varied takes on classic rock ‘n’ roll – the former a sprightly song radiating joy, and the latter a galloping cathartic track written to shake off any bad energy, helped along by SJ Mortimer’s powerhouse vocals.
Morganway’s knack for capturing the vintage feel of 70s and 80s music with a contemporary sheen is apparent with ‘Edge of the Sun‘ and its pure escapism presented as an epic rock ballad, while the similarly slowed down ‘Surrender‘ has a mellower feel but is still nevertheless grandiose. Then there’s the likes of ‘Halfway Tonight‘ and ‘Goddamn Time‘, showcasing their infectious take on feel-good acoustic guitar pop.
This album isn’t just a collection of tracks; it’s a passionate statement of intent which is explored further in its eerie title track. Inspired by the ‘No Music On A Dead Planet’ movement, the song serves as a rallying cry for climate awareness. Lead vocalist SJ wrote this track, and explains that, ‘After the pandemic, this song spilled out as it felt like stillness went back to chaos. I just don’t understand how climate change is still being put to one side like it can all wait… it’s something that we should shout out about over the BS and lies. From artists and festivals to organisations like “No Music On A Dead Planet”, the music industry is getting behind this notion more and more, and I’m so here for it.‘
Having long described themselves as an ‘Americana rock band’, nowhere is this more apparent than on the stomps, fiddle and twanging guitars of ‘Devil’s Canyon‘, which, as it turns out, is one of Morganway’s earliest songs and was the first recorded for the album. ‘It’s like we were waiting for the right time to capture the lightning in the bottle,‘ says Callum.
An album highlight is found in ‘I Feel The Rain‘, written following the band’s stint supporting Skunk Anansie – SJ’s vocals soar and bring the melodrama with an incredible growl giving way to an impressive head voice. ‘We were so inspired after supporting a band that’s been rocking for over 25 years,‘ she explains.’The energy exploded in us and this song was born.‘
‘We Sing‘ bookends the album as another song about playing live. However, this one dissects the downsides to constantly being on the road, and the weariness can be detected in the sorrowful strings. But, as with anything, there is a light side to be found, and here that’s in Morganway’s connection with their audience. A fitting end to this album as they continue to rise.
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. Drenched in dynamic rock vibes, Morganway’s captivating musicality has won them the British Country Music Association’s Group of The Year award three times. They’ve been hailed by AmericanaUK as a ‘band to watch‘ and praised by Entertainment Focus for their ‘terrific writing, passionate vocals and superb musicianship‘ on their 2023 album Back To Zero, which reached the Official Americana Charts Top 20. 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, Louder Than War, Maverick Magazine, and PowerPlay Magazine.
Morganway’s new album Kill The Silence will be out 31st January. Pre-save HERE.
Physical copies are available to preorder HERE.
Following the release of Kill The Silence and their first headline tour in Germany, Morganway will embark on their biggest-ever headline UK tour. Full dates below, tickets available here:
April 2025 (Tour assets available here)
Wed 2 Apr – Norwich, Epic Studios
Thu 3 Apr – Leeds, Brudenell Social Club
Fri 4 Apr – Newcastle, The Cluny
Sat 5 Apr – Glasgow, Drygate
Sun 6 Apr – Whitby Pavilion
Wed 9 Apr – Hassocks, Mid Sussex Music Hall
Thu 10 Apr – Birmingham, Hare & Hounds
Fri 11 Apr – Manchester, The Deaf Institute
Sat 12 Apr – Bodega Nottingham
Sun 13 Apr – Birkenhead, Future Yard
Wed 23 Apr – Winchester, The Railway Inn
Thu 24 Apr – Oxford, The Jericho
Fri 25 Apr – Bristol, Thekla
Sat 26 Apr – London, Omeara
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