Morphine: Like Swimming

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Description:

Modern Classic Recordings, an imprint of Light in the Attic Records, is excited to announce the deluxe vinyl reissues of Morphine’s final two studio albums: “Like Swimming” (1997) and “The Night” (2000). These reissues mark the first availability of both titles on wax. Each album has been remastered by Pete Weiss at Boston’s Jade Cow Music, with lacquers cut by John Golden. The albums were pressed at Austin, TX’s Gold Rush Vinyl and are available in two colorways. “Like Swimming,” a 1xLP album featuring favorites such as “Early to Bed,” “French Fries with Pepper,” and “Eleven O’Clock,” is available on opaque blue or translucent red wax. “The Night,” a 2xLP, 45-RPM edition featuring “Rope on Fire,” “Top Floor, Bottom Buzzer,” and “The Night,” is available on orange translucent or purplish hue vinyl. Both albums come with a 20-page booklet featuring rare and never-before-seen images from the band’s archives, including photos by Lana Z. Caplan and Danny Clinch, artifacts from Morphine’s career, and unseen art by the late frontman, Mark Sandman. Ryan H. Walsh, a Boston-based journalist, musician, visual artist, and author of the acclaimed book “Astral Weeks: A Secret History of 1968,” provides insightful new liner notes for both albums. These notes include new interviews detailing the band’s career, including one of the final interviews with drummer Billy Conway, who passed away in 2021. The albums are housed in deluxe gatefold jackets with art direction and design by Darryl Norsen at D. Norsen Design. Both albums were produced with the full support of Morphine’s surviving members, drummer Jerome Deupree and saxophonist Dana Colley, as well as friends, family members, and collaborators who shared their memories with Walsh. Morphine was a Boston-based band formed in 1989 known for their unconventional instrumentation, clever lyricism, and unique sound. Their music blended moody tonalities with Sandman’s baritone vocals and two-string slide bass guitar, Colley’s baritone sax, and vibrant percussion. Their genre-defying sound was dubbed “Low Rock” by Sandman. Under the creative partnership with producer Paul Q. Kolderie, the band released their critically acclaimed debut album “Good” in 1991. They gained a growing fanbase with their second album, “Cure for Pain,” in 1993, leading to tours across the world. Morphine’s music was also featured in major films, further expanding their exposure. With the release of “Like Swimming,” the band embraced a sense of security and flow in their songwriting. “The Night,” their final studio album, saw Sandman determined to prove the critics wrong while staying true to his artistic vision. The album featured a quartet lineup, with Deupree and Conway both contributing to the recordings. Guest artists like John Medeski and a string section added lush textures to the album. “The Night” showcased Sandman’s full creative vision realized, and he was satisfied with the result. It was a powerful culmination of his talent and marked the end of an era for the band. Modern Classic Recordings’ vinyl reissues of Morphine’s “Like Swimming” and “The Night” are a must-have for fans and collectors alike, celebrating the legacy of this influential band.