Morphine: The Night

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Description:

Modern Classic Recordings, an imprint of Light in the Attic Records, is thrilled to announce the deluxe vinyl reissues of Morphine’s final two studio albums: Like Swimming (1997) and The Night (2000). This marks the first time that both titles will be available on vinyl. Each album has been lovingly remastered by Pete Weiss at Boston’s Jade Cow Music, with cutting by John Golden. The albums were pressed at Gold Rush Vinyl in Austin, TX and are available in two colorways. Like Swimming, a single LP, can be found on opaque blue or translucent red vinyl. The Night, a double LP, 45-RPM edition, 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 Mark Sandman, the band’s frontman. Included in each package are new liner notes by Ryan H. Walsh, a Boston-based journalist, musician, visual artist, and author of the acclaimed book Astral Weeks: A Secret History of 1968. The liner notes include new interviews detailing the band’s career, including one of the final interviews with drummer Billy Conway, who sadly passed away in 2021. Both albums are housed in deluxe gatefold jackets with art direction and design by Darryl Norsen at D. Norsen Design in Boston. The reissues were produced with the full support of Morphine’s surviving members, drummer Jerome Deupree and saxophonist Dana Colley, as well as the band’s friends, family members, and collaborators. About Morphine and The Night: Morphine was formed in 1989 and quickly gained recognition in Boston’s underground scene for their unconventional instrumentation, clever lyricism, and unique sound. The band consisted of Mark Sandman (singer, songwriter, and bassist), Dana Colley (saxophonist), and Jerome Deupree (drummer). Their music blended moody and seductive tonalities, with Sandman’s baritone vocals and two-string slide bass guitar, Colley’s baritone sax, and the percussion of original drummer Deupree and later Conway. Morphine’s music defied classification, with influences from jazz, blues, alt-rock, and beat poetry. Sandman coined the term “Low Rock” to describe their genre. They formed a creative partnership with producer Paul Q. Kolderie and released their critically-acclaimed debut, Good, in 1991. They gained a larger fanbase with their second album, Cure for Pain, in 1993, leading to tours around the world. The Night was Morphine’s fifth and final studio album. Sandman was determined to prove the critics wrong and create an album that stayed true to his artistic vision while also selling records. The recording process was tense, with Sandman eventually taking over as the producer. The album featured contributions from guest artists, including keyboardist John Medeski and a string section. The songs on The Night showcased a departure from their previous style, with a lighter and more experimental sound. Despite Sandman’s tragic passing before the release of The Night, the album was a testament to his creative vision. The reissues of Like Swimming and The Night honor the memories of Sandman and Conway and pay tribute to their groundbreaking music.