Customer Reviews

At Your Service

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4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

This collection sneaked up on me and it was a great surprise.

I cant believe it's been over ten years since Sandman passed away. Morphine are still one of my favorite bands and in the intervening years the music gets played as much now as it did when it was newly released. This disc proves just how timeless and unique the sound Morphine created still is. It's hard to comprehend how much music Mark Sandman made that never got released, but you only have to look at this double CD set and the Mark Sandman Sandbox collection to realize that what went before was barely scratching the surface of what his imagination was capable of creating.

This release should be considered just as valuable to a Morphine fan as any other. The production may not have the studio sheen, the arrangements may not be fully realized but it contains all the elements that made Morphine irreplaceable; the Sandman baritone and dry wit, the vibrant and multi-textured saxophone, the silken rumbling thunderstorm of Sandman's bass and a few songs that expand the sound in different directions.

The music world is poorer now than it was ten years ago. Consider this an essential reminder of just how much.

has done nothing to diminish the vibrancy of that silky Morphine sound, the surprises in each Morphine innovation or the warm, languid feeling this music conjures forth. Although insiders who were expecting the 4 discs prepared years ago by Billy Conway and Dana Colley for the Morphine re-issue may be disappointed, these 2 do a respectable job of conveying the inventiveness of Mark Sandman and Morphine without merely repeating what fans have heard before. "New" songs like the raucous ode to pure desire "Come Over" (which they'd played live, but never issued) and even the goofy "It's Not Like That Anymore" (which was played by the Hypnosonics, another of Sandman's many bands) are pure and straight Morphine and Sandman; musically complex, smart, witty and oh-so sexy.

Disc 2 is partly occupied by a live set played on WMBR in the earlier days of Morphine. This performance, of course, was widely recorded, and has been available in bootleg form for a while. The improved sound quality of this version is worthwhile, but I was hoping to hear something I couldn't have simply recorded off the radio myself in 1992. Nonetheless, if you've haven't heard the WMBR bootleg, you will not be disappointed in the early versions of The Only One and Radar, with slightly different lyrics.

The very different take on Buena, perhaps Morphine's best song (Mark Sandman said so himself), and a variety of takes on songs on Morphine's last record, The Night, are a treat to any fan. Perhaps best of all are the softly whispered Lunch in Hell and Shade (I Know You: Part IV) that make a diehard Morphine fan believe Mark Sandman is out there still, speaking to us.

Lo & Behold! Ten years after the sudden departure of our dear friend Mark Sandman we are bestowed a gift. A treasure trove of musical diamonds has been unearthed. The new album, Morphine: At Your Service, has come to light. This double-disc album showcases 35 unreleased songs by the late band. Included are never before released songs, electrified live versions of fan favorites and alternate versions of other Morphine classics. It is essential listening to any fan, old or new.

Hearing Mark's voice again is much like hearing from a long lost friend. It is warm, familiar & always amusing. It is so easy to fall back into the old habits again & to lay back and let his beautiful legacy wash through your veins. Bliss upon bliss.

******

I hope that the deluge of material Mark Sandman recorded in his prodigous career will see the light of day as well. This & the Mark Sandman oxset, Sandbox, are an excellent start .

Morphine, at the peak of their powers, were a sight to behold. Playing the second stage at the HORDE festival or playing an 8-song encore at Clutch Cargo's in Hamtramck, Michigan, this unconventional power trio was fierce and friendly all at once. Saxophonist Dana Colley might play two saxes at once. Mark Sandman exuded cool confidence with his brilliant 2-string bass, a living prophet of the full potential of minimalism. Drummer Billy Conway played in and out of the pocket, giving the grooves just the right amount of space and swing. The raucous bottled lightning of the live show transferred quite well to tape, actually, and Morphine gave us a string of great albums: Good, the amazing Cure For Pain, Yes, The Night, even the somewhat less polished Like Swimming. For those who couldn't get enough, compilations like B-Sides & Otherwise displayed the band's weirder, more expansive side. Bootleg Detroit hinted at their amazing live capabilities.

When I saw that a new double CD of unreleased Morphine material was out, it seemed natural to assume that it would be something like B-Sides & Otherwise -- odder songs, experiments, live tracks. Imagine my surprise and delight to hear the batch of previously unknown gems on At Your Service! By all reports, Sandman was a prolific writer and recorded songs constantly -- and At Your Service is a treasure trove. Many of these songs should have been classics, and might have eventually found their way onto studio albums if Sandman hadn't tragically died. Some others made regular appearances in Morphine's live set but the studio versions hadn't seen the light of day before this collection. Still others appear in wildly different forms. Then there's the material culled from two live radio broadcasts: familiar songs with unfamiliar spins and infectious live energy.

There are many, many standout tracks. While I might encourage the uninitiated to start with Cure For Pain (the album that turned me on to this great band) I can say with confidence that you'll eventually add this 2-CD compilation to your collection as it's hard to have enough Morphine. And impossible to have too much.

This is just a short statement to let readers know that there was NO PROBLEM adding the many tracks from this CD to my iPhone or iTunes. I'm going to guess the same is true for your iPod. Someone earlier posted a review complaining the tracks were copy protected. My version of this CD was NOT. It sounds great.

This CD set is a must have for any Morphine fan. Awesome material on these discs. Old favorites and songs I never heard before about half and half. Overall a worth while purchase.

I saw these guys in concert 5 or 6 times and they were always great. Now we have some more stuff to listen to from Mr. Sandman and co. and, surprise, it's really good.
When I first heard about this I thought it might be rejected songs not worth hearing but there are some real gems here. "Patience" is an especially good track unlike anything else they recorded. There are many other songs here good enough to be on any of their albums. And the songs recorded live in their loft studio are very cool and often different arrangements of familiar tunes.
So, if you're wondering if this is worth purchasing the answer is a definite YES.

Great group, great album. It's very sad the way it ended but we still can hear great music and great feeling.

This compilation is awesome. These songs take you on a endless trip through Sandman's poetry.
Enjoy with a good Bourbon!

These CDs are unplayable on the computer I use for my home media center, and any other computer I've tried. My only option is to play them in my car or on a small boom box. C'mon Rhino, there's no reason for this kind of copy protection in this day and age, you're just punishing the people who pay for your product.