Ben Morgan-Brown – Cold Rooms EP
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| Ben Morgan-Brown - Cold Rooms EP |
Release Date: Out Now
There is nothing instantly remarkable
about Ben Morgan-Brown. He’s a guy from Exeter with a guitar and a voice – ten a
penny from my experience of writing this blog. There’s no obvious back story or
tragedy to hook in to and he doesn’t have any crazy outfits or eccentric facial
hair. No, Ben Morgan-Brown takes to the stage with no fanfare or lightshow but
as the opening plucked notes of title track ‘Cold Rooms’ seep in to your ears
it all makes sense. This is a frosty, still, English winter of an opening as
the guitar strings crackle like ice under foot while each breathy word sung by
Morgan-Brown is accompanied by a puff of condensation escaping in to the cold
morning air. ‘I See That You’ finds our unassuming hero in more chirpy form as
if the morning’s sunlight is starting to melt the chill and warm the air with
the rippled and rolling guitar notes. This is a John Williams-esque tune (purely
instrumental, by the way) to get back in to bed with a cup of tea to and
snuggle down under the covers with your loved one or at least a beloved pet.
The versatility of tone that
Morgan-Brown can wring out of a guitar is nothing short of masterful and never
is that more in evidence than on ‘No More Fooling’. The dark, nervous and edgy acoustic
notes are matched by a vocal that is quietly determined as resolutions are laid
down for anyone willing to listen. The warmth is back on ‘Been Away So’ which
has a real kitchen-sink drama feel to it and a real every day vibe that is easy
to get along with. On ‘Sunken Treasure’ Morgan-Brown is in story telling mode
as he gently slides from fret to fret whilst, I imagine, looking out to sea or
across rolling hills – this is not an urban song. The EP closes up with ‘Borrowed
Tones’ which is possibly the most accomplished track on this collection with
almost classically performed guitar ripples and the kind of controlled vocal
that speaks of hours of practice and craftsmanship. And off he goes again, in
to the night with a guitar slung over his shoulder and his collar up around his
neck against the cold night air. Ben Morgan-Brown is never going to fill
stadiums with his music but if you’re lucky enough to encounter him performing
one evening then I’m pretty sure he’ll fill up your heart and that’s more than
enough for me.
More information: https://www.facebook.com/benmorganbrownmusic
Live Dates:
17th January – Brewery Tap, Exeter
22nd January – Bread & Roses, Plymouth
2nd February – Woodburner Session @ Lusty Glaze,
Newquay
7th February – ELR Acoustic Showcase @ the
Phoenix, Exeter
11th February – Village Hall, Nunney
24th February – The Drewe Arms, Drewsteignton