Arkells first stumble into my life in the rainy season in 2008. I think listening to "Deadlines" to repeat the whole first week or at least until I know every word without thinking. There is no doubt in my mind when I say that I have been hooked from day one. Arkells has a way about those who make their music so intoxicating and honest, there's something to be said about bands that can do it so easily.
The band finally released their fourth studio album, Morning Report, on August 5th through Last Gang Records. There is so much to watch out for when listening through this album. For one, I find that they really extend their style by experimenting with so many things you would not expect to hear on Arkells albums. You can tell they are getting inspired by so many musical eras, ranging from crazy cool riffs that can not be denied, up to 80s to the sound of trumpets, horns and saxophones, which sometimes reminds me of The Beatles Sgt. Peppers era.
Another thing that really stands out for me throughout the album is the band's talent for lyrical storytelling. Every song on this album has a story attached to it that I love. Immediately with the opening song, "Drake's Daddy," you are drawn into a fun drum and piano mix, with a strong chorus and lyrical gospel that weaves stories of delinquency being pursued, made friendships, intimate feelings of being young and cheerful and yes , met Drake's father of course.
Then you dive into the piano and knock the weight of a "Private School" that guides you through the political side of elitism and individuals who drift into the stinging status façade. The overall flavor of the song is fun and light as well as the story it tells captures how honest this album is so perfect.
Along with the lyrics and the story, the album really starts picking up and featuring an expanded style at this point. "My Heart's Always Yours" begins to show off the perfect blend of nostalgic synthesizers as well as piano and piano guitars, giving a trail of certain feelings that are polished and bright to her. It also makes a song that you can not help but smile when you hear it. As the song drifts into "Savannah," she continues that feeling before revealing an unexpected trumpet solo that blends so well with everything and ties it together.
One of my favorite songs from the entire album, "Passenger Seat," changed the tables completely. This song is very different compared to other songs in the Morning Report, so much so that it clearly stands out above the rest in my eyes. Weighing shifts the album to a strange dark and haunting beautiful place that dips into an 80s inspired layer of synths and heavy drum beats that pull you out of the air from before and into the depths of something completely new. It sums up the inevitable feelings of love, loss, and loneliness so that I find resonance even after the song ends.
"Making Due" pulled the album back on track and into light, the summer atmosphere while "Round And Round" took another turn into a simple acoustic number before building it until the song became a wall full of diverse sounds with padded and full vocals on the horns.
Re-channeling their classic sounds, Arkells gives a punch to the system with "Hung Up" and then again with "Come Back Home" and "A Little Rain (A Song For Pete)" the three songs contrast each other in speed and but it's a familiar voice which many Arkell fans and love know, which I found brought all three together well.
"And Then Some" is such a beautiful song and one of my favorites from this album. This song seems to pull you by the hand and draw you into long lost memories, both sincere and forgotten. The coat of instruments and vocals unite and build like a wave, to wash over you with a refreshing sense of comfort. I love this song for that reason, it feels like home to me.
They slowed it down with the last song, "Hangs the Moon" - a grim, sentimental ballad that seemed almost weightless with a steady piano rhythm, a touch of guitar and a roomy background sound. The short snare drum beats the final throw of the song, adding to the overall richness of it all and pulling the album into a calm lid.
Overall, I find Morning Reports much lighter in terms of sound and style compared to previous Arkells albums. It ran more along the lines of pop in some cases than their original rock & soul sounds I was so used to hearing before. However, I find that this movement really shows that the band is growing as a whole, plus each track checks out a decent list for bands that show growth for the future as well. I really appreciate how this album is exhibited in an honest way; the lyrics are sincere and the music is open-minded and light, it's like meeting an entirely new band, but still remembering that you've known them all your life.