"all I ever wanted was to make things right"
Morningbird's mission statement is straightforward but within the tumultuous relationships of musical groups, might be unique. Simply put, it is bros before artists, or as they say in their press notes:
"To be friends before bandmates is the method behind the madness of Morningbird."
I have been around a long time and I can tell you that this concept is more unusual than you might think. I can see both sides of this dilemma, do you collaborate with people who you like and respect or do you succumb to the pressure of working unique artists no matter how difficult they are to deal with. Luckily for Morningbird, they have the best of both worlds. Max Challis (keys), John Cattini (guitar), Connor Frawley (bass), and Jacob Thompson (drums) bring their individual passions and talents together in stellar ways, their collaboration making them greater and getting along while doing so. What a novel concept. They came together in an organic way, starting out a pair of friends and evolving from their (a bit of their origin story is detailed in their press notes below).
On "Who Knew" the guys push indie rock tones with sort of classic 60's pop melodies. There is even a melodic hint of Charles Aznavour's 1964 French broken love ballad "Hier encore" that was converted and covered for American audiences ("Yesterday When I was Young") although I doubt that the boys have even heard it. The big downbeats, pretty guitars, light jazz pop affections, exquisitely rushed drum fills, sublime melodies and dreamy vocal aesthetic takes center stage, that is, until the double leads happen which feels like chamber pop meets glam meets jazz indie meets art rock, Queen meets Steely Dan. Wonderful stuff.
-Robb Donker Curtius
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THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM - PRESS NOTES:
spotify
morningbirdmusic
bandcamp
soundcloud
To be friends before bandmates is the method behind the madness of Morningbird.
Reigniting the retro rock thing, the four-piece rock band features Max Challis on the keys, John Cattini on guitar, Connor Frawley on bass, and Jacob Thompson on drums. And while they stand alone as talented instrumentalists, together, Morningbird becomes a genius greater than the sum of its parts.
The band found its roots in the dorm room of founding members Max and John in Boston in 2013. As they were turning group projects with friends into bedroom recording sessions, the guys were starting to lay the foundation of what Morningbird is today. With 2014 came the original formation of the band with just two members. Developing those recording sessions into songs, October 2015 brought the debut of Morningbird’s self-titled EP. The following year brought even more momentum to the duo. Culminating in their first full length album, Only Believe in Love, Morningbird found its footing in 2016. It was born from an emphasis on the music, using a marriage of strings and percussion to create space for the melody. In spite of the guitar riffs that were begging to be performed, the band had still never played a live set together.
Eager to meet the growing enthusiasm from industry professionals, Max and John looked down the hall. Soon, Connor joined the mix and the band went live. As friends first and allies in creativity second, Morningbird grew to four guys from three different countries—all connected by Boston. Jacob joined about two years later in January of 2019, completing the four-man group. Yet, as they’ve grown as business partners, musicians, and friends, trust has been a critical constant. Trust that they’ll take you to the ER if you crack your head on the sidewalk. Trust that they’ll bring the best intentions to the band. The magic is in the collaboration.
Bringing this connected creativity onward, Morningbird released a series of singles, the latest of which being indie-rock bop “That’s Alright” in January of 2021, the first track from their sophomore album. They continue to capture electricity in their DIY recordings and grow their fanbase, with more music to come in 2021.
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