Gurf Morlix
Eatin’ at Me (Rootball)After seven LPs, Eatin’ at Me makes eight and there are virtually no surprises in a new release from Gurf Morlix. That might be a concern to some, but there’s a depth to the veteran guitarist, producer, and singer-songwriter that others can’t touch. The longtime local remains an acquired taste for sure – his vocals are best described as frayed – but his passion is undeniable. The musical view of where he’s been and where he’s at arrives painstakingly crafted. Two tunes offer a glimpse of his childhood in upstate New York, opener “Dirty Old Buffalo” recalling a family car ride with a twinkle of nostalgia, while “Born in Lackawanna” perfectly marries the Rust Belt and stomping middle-America roots rock. In between there’s the grim midnight landscape of “Elephant’s Graveyard,” a funk-filled interpretation of life as a canine (“The Dog I Am”), and ode to an old junker in “Blue Smoke” that recalls his friend Blaze Foley with simple wordplay and a dusky sense of longing. While not the most accessible of Morlix’s work, Eatin’ at Me proves he hasn’t lost a step.
This article appears in February 13 • 2015.