Morphine : Cure For Pain :: Flashback
It’s a funny feeling to dig out an album you have not listened to in ten years. The album in question is “Cure For Pain” by Morphine (1993). I was curious whether this album had become too terribly dated sounding and just a moment in time during my formative years. I also thought of the time when I saw Morphine on the ’95 H.O.R.D.E Tour in Cincinnati. Prior to any of the concerts beginning, my friends and I ran into the singer, Mark Sandman, speaking to a local D.J. Sandman seemed to be a cool guy, and we were anxious to talk to him. As we were waiting patiently to speak, he glanced over at my nachos, and said “Hey man, can I take some of these?” He asked that as he had his hand on them all ready, so I was remiss and he took some. Not a problem I thought as I sadly counted the remaining nachos.
When I saw Morphine play that afternoon, I was struck by the concept of a band with no guitar and a two string bass and saxophone playing pop music. Morphine seemed like the type of band that you would see on a street corner, playing with junk equipment but they made it work. Mark Sandman was a serious songwriter, having transferred his abilities from Treat Her Right just as that band was imploding. Sandman was cool and confidant and his lyrics smart and vocals were adequately smoky and moody.
When I listen to this album now, I am surprised that it does not sound dated. It does not sound dated because Morphine was following its own muse. There are no early nineties musical trends on this album. The playing is not heavy handed either, it all flows into one groove. While the band was limited without some of the other textural elements a full band might have, you would not know it by listening to this album. The production is subtle and organic sounding.
After the passing of Mark Sandman in 1999, Morphine broke up. They initially tried to soldier forth without him for a while, but eventually called it quits. It seems that after nine years Morphine has almost become forgotten. I would hope this is not the case, can anyone prove me wrong?
