James Vincent McMorrow

During his college days McMorrow developed an interest in alternative acoustic artists like Sufjan Stevens and Band of Horses and soon he picked up the guitar to begin writing his own songs which complimented his unique vocals. With a collection of songs in his possession, McMorrow took to playing the pub circuit showcasing his music which was well received.

Locking himself away in a house off the Irish coast for six months, he decided to record an album with all the instruments played by himself. The material he produced during his time away would feature on his self-titled EP and his debut full length album “Early in the Morning” released in 2010 displaying his signature grainy vocals. The album received critical acclaim with arising comparisons to the likes of Ray Lamontagne and Bon Iver. James received the European Border Breakers Award in January 2012 in recognition of his music’s breakthrough outside of Ireland. After touring the UK relentlessly, the following month McMorrow played a monumental sold out show at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

Not one to be boxed away into genres, McMorrow put all his attention on creating a follow up album which would break genre conventions and instead reflect who he is as an artist. Working best in solitude, McMorrow flew to a remote area of Texas, US and confined himself in a studio for six months as he developed his songcraft whilst incorporating delays and distortion as he experimented with a multitude of sonic elements. The result would be his phenomenal album “Post Tropical” released in 2014 which charted at number two in the Irish charts. Although a far departure from his early releases, the album still revelled in McMorrow’s distinctive and raspy falsetto, intertwined with dreamy folk tendencies whilst incorporating updated music technology with synths and keeping his music current.