Blood Like Lemonade

Since this is Morcheeba's 7th studio album, long time fans should be able to know already that anything created in their studio is going to be good. In nearly 15 years the band has had numerous hits that continue to find themselves on nearly every chill out/lounge compilation album ever released. Blood Like Lemonade is no different, an album full of breath-taking goodies that will relax you, entrance you, and remind you why you love music. With that being said, long time fans also know that a Morcheeba album is rarely an absolute masterpiece. Mixed in with perfection, there are a few tracks that are less memorable - but less memorable is the right word, because a decent Morcheeba track is fifty times better than the hit of many artists. Read on to find out which ones I think will stand the test of time, and no doubt become your new favorite Morcheeba songs.

--

The album opens on great notes, as the first three songs are probably the best tracks on the album.

"Crimson" is a slow moving, ode to Skye's vocals, that is signature Morcheeba. It'll move you into a near-sleep then send chills down your spine on the chorus.

"Even Though" is the song of the album, like "The Sea" was for Big Calm and "Wonders Never Cease" was for The Atidote it's the first single and the song you MUST download even if you don't get the whole album. Absolutely beautiful.

The title track "Blood Like Lemonade" is another highlight that shouldn't be missed. Sounding a little bit like Wonders Never Cease, it's got a fairly peppy beat that meshes fabulously with Skye to make this a song you'll want to listen to on repeat. Additionally, the vampire imagery gets a thumbs up for being unique.

"Mandala" and "Cut to the Chase" are instrumental tracks, but very good ones. "Cut to the Chase" being the better of the two, providing a really great break down between all the strong vocals of the album. It's trip-hoppy and groovy, and maybe even a highlight, though Skye fans will probably be disappointed she doesn't appear on every song.

"Recipe for Disaster" was another highlight for me, though lyrically it's not as delicious as some of the other tracks, it's got a lot going for it, including a great production and of course Skye.

Finally "I Am the Spring", "Self Made Man", and "Beat of the Drum" are the three weakest songs in my opinion. Sometimes I skip them, sometimes I don't, but generally I'm ready for the next song before it finishes. They're hardly bad though, and I'm sure many Morcheeba fans will like them.

---

My overall opinion is that with 7 incredible songs, Blood Like Lemonade is yet another classic release from Lounge's best artist, Morcheeba. I'm always a little nervous about buying albums with only 10 tracks since it seems like most artists cram in so many boring fillers. You don't have to worry about that with Morcheeba, 10 songs goes a lot farther with them because they obviously care about the emotion and feeling put into the song and not just releasing 1 decent single and a CD.

"Blood like lemonade" finds Morcheeba's Paul and Ross Godfrey reunited with vocalist Skye Edwards whom they sacked after 2002's "Charango". Since then, Skye has released two albums of delicate beauty, "Mind how you go" and "Keeping secrets" while the lads released "The Antidote" and "Dive deep" using several guest vocalists on different tracks, but neither ever quite reached the heights they scaled together. Thankfully they are now back together as Skye's light airy dreamy vocals were missed. It's the same chilled out Trip Hop sound of their last 3 albums, but a bit more sublime like Skye's solo stuff, while still retaining their quirky, sometimes dark story telling.

"Crimson" is delicate and floaty, while lead-off single "Even though" is a bit more upbeat but still hypnotic and lulling, as is the similar "Easier said than done". The title track "Blood like lemonade" has light Hip Hop beats, groovy bass and lyrics telling the strsnge tale of some bounty hunter with vampiric tendencies.

It's Skye's affair all the way, with no guest spots (like Pace Won or Slick Rick on "Charango") except for the standard instrumentals, "Mandala" (garnished with sitar) and the Hip Hop-tinged "Cut to the chase" (with sporadic scratches and vocal samples).

"I am the spring" is a lovely acoustic Folky piece with slide guitar, "Recipe for disaster" (telling the tale of a murder with a light Country twang), "Self made man" with lovely swelling strings (which tells us everyone needs a helping hand), and closing "Beat of the drum" is haunting and almost dirge-like with a slow crunching beat and a great guitar coda.

Perfect music for a Summer day.

Ever since I first heard their damnably catchy single, Rome Wasn't Built in a Day from 2000's pop-infected Fragments of Freedom, Morcheeba has cast a spell on me with their Brit-hop grooves blending seamlessly into a pure pop sensibility. Much of their appeal as a band came from Skye Edwards' warm and effortlessly soulful vocals, which hew closer to Sade in style but remain comparatively lighter in tone and approach. She comes back seamlessly after a seven-year absence to rejoin the Godfrey brothers - DJ Paul and multi-instrumentalist Ross - for this sonorous 2010 recording. The result is pure, old-school Morcheeba but with an even gentler sway that may not appeal as much to younger trip-heavy listeners.

The opening track, "Crimson", introduces an appropriately moody look at what must be a car crash with Skye letting out her delusional mantra of "Hell bound hopeless for you" like a primal scream. Both the hypnotic "Even Though" and the title track with its loping rhythm reflect a breeziness that belies the somewhat morbid lyrics. The same deceptive airiness informs "Recipe for Disaster" with a baiting opening inquiry, "Wanna know why there's a dead guy in my living room?" Still, the band doesn't forget the hooks that put them on the world pop map, although nothing quite sparkles like "Rome". For instance, on "Easier Said than Done", an insistent slow-dance beat glides over what is basically a paean to emotional resilience, while "Self Made Man" recalls the thickly layered atmosphere of "The Sea" infused by an insistent hook.

My favorite track is "I Am the Spring", a sweet ode that nicely partners Skye's effervescent singing with Ross Godfrey's fluid fretwork. Two instrumental tracks showcase the Godfrey brothers' penchant for sampling in different genres - a shuffling piece of blues called "Mandala" and "Cut to the Chase", which is basically funk filler with a heavy bass line from Bradley Burgess. The disc officially closes with "Beat the Drum", a marginal dirge which serves as an anthem to a dragon-infested ocean voyage just as the sailors are about to disembark for civilization. Lastly, there is an iTunes bonus track, the bouncy "Straight Ahead", which sounds retro-cool with its California-bound 1960s-style beat and repetitive chorus. The line of consistency throughout the album remains in the calm, sometime infectious grooves; the musical craftsmanship of the Godfreys; and in particular, Edwards in a most welcome return to form.

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 17 reviews  4.1 out of 5 stars