Morning Orbit [Import]

David Usher, David Usher | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 24, 2001)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Emd Int'l
• ASIN: B00005NZK1
• Also Available in: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #166,394 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. How Are You?

2. Too Close to the Sun

3. Black Black Heart

4. Alone in the Universe

5. Butterfly

6. Joy in Small Places

7. A Day in the Life

8. My Way Out

9. Blinded

10. Fast Car

11. Closer

12. Black Black Heart 2.0

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

As frontman for platinum Canadian angst-rockers Moist, David Usher seems to bear the weight of the world on his shoulders. Morning Orbit gives us an Usher who is looser and poppier. The dreamy, diaphanous opener, "How Are You," and "A Day in the Life" are the songs most likely to land him in Beatles Court, while "Too Close to the Sun" and the lush single "Alone in the Universe" only momentarily recall the guitar bluster of his band. Usher and his production team, including members of Moist, pull out all the stops on "Black Black Heart," which mixes an opera sample, guest vocalist Julia Galios, and scratchy programming.

Aided and abetted by Canadian rapper Snow, Usher offers a semblance of new jack swing in the late-night vibe of "Joy in Small Places." The disc's full melodies and studio-tweaked successes are sometimes offset by the singer's pretensions, though. A line in "How Are You" about "another struggle just to get through nine to five" is laughable coming from a guy who hasn't had a day job in years, while a cover of Tracy Chapman's dead-end-lives portrait "Fast Car" only serves to remind listeners of the vastly superior original. And, in "Butterfly," Usher's tendency to over-emote sinks an otherwise delicate, acoustic guitar-based number. But those who can overlook such foibles--and, judging by the success of Moist, there are many--will find much to like about Morning Orbit. --Shawn Conner

Product Description

Second solo album for one of Canada's premier songwriters & performers who's full-time gig is lead singer for multi-platinum band Moist. For this, his second solo outing, David Usher is joined by Canuck music-stars Snow, Jag and Bruce from I Mother Earth and Gord Sinclair from The Tragically Hip (as well as all his Moist-mates) on an album of introspective and delightful soundscapes, as seen on songs like "How Are You?" and the lead single "Alone In The Universe". 11 tracks in all. 2001.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gotta get this CD!, March 17, 2002

By 

"greenjade08" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Morning Orbit (Audio CD)

David Usher is just awesome and this Cd shows us why! The music is excellent, especially the lyrics. My favourite songs from this album would be "Alone in the Universe", "Butterfly" and "Black Black Heart". Different from his first album, "Little Songs", this album is just as good, if not better.

I left it on my CD player for almost 6 months, listening to it on my long bus rides to and from school. And it was only to be replaced briefly with Moist's number one singles (which is excellent as well!).

After watching David Usher preform these songs in concert reaffirms the greatness of this album! It is a must for all music lovers as it covers a wide selection of music!
Try it out! You'll love it!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stunningly Original, December 1, 2002

By 

Lee Armstrong (Winterville, NC United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Morning Orbit (Audio CD)

"Little Songs," Usher's 1998 solo set, was brilliant with its care for arrangement, melody, and lyrical depth. "Morning Orbit" comes in a bit less dark, but equally compelling. "How Are You" opens with layered keyboard, guitar and multi-tracked backing vocals on this musically cheerful, lyrically dark track, "Had a vision of the ruby sky, we were riding high on our own pink elephant, another day in this f**ked-up life, another struggle just to get through nine to five." Four of his five bandmates from Moist play on the CD. Spine opens with insistent keyboards on the electric samba "Too Close to the Sun." My favorite track is "Black Black Heart." It gets a haunting, downright spooky treatment on track 3 followed by the uncredited electronic crunch guitar version that is track 12. Julia Galos' operatic background vocals give a surreal quality to the first version, "I'm eating all your kings & queens, all your sex & your diamonds as I begin to lose my grip on these realities you're sending, taste your mind & taste your sex; I'm naked underneath your cover." "Alone in the Universe," the single, churns in a maelstrom of electric guitar, "He's got his suit, his tie, his drink, his mtv; he's trading his life away, you can't escape, we're all infected now." The melody of "Butterfly" flits by like the zigzag flight of one of these sweet creatures. Canadian reggae rapper Snow cowrote "Joy in Small Places" while Jay Tanna from the Canadian band I Mother Earth joins David on vocals on a musically complex driving track that will have you hitting the repeat button. "A Day In the Life" written by Usher moves like Joshua Tree-era U2. David's vocals are breathy on the slow, beautifully melodic "My Way Out" which builds to crescendo. "Blinded" is an electric track with lyrics submerged, "a circus sideshow but the makeup's shining through." Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car" is given quite a different reading, a dream and desire for escape. "I blew it up with everyone who ever knew me," David sings on "Closer." The electric version of "Black Black Heart" raves like an electronic sunspot with vocals submerged beyond recognition, a brilliant contrast to track 3's version. Usher is again brilliant on "Morning Orbit." Why there's not a US release is more than a mystery. This is prime rock from a brilliant artist.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Will be one of your fav albums of all time!!, March 10, 2006

By 

Dave Bartholomew (Adelaide Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Morning Orbit (Audio CD)

I recieved this album from a friend (I live in Australia) and thought i must've died. It is almost impossible to even import any David Usher into the country, but even after having this album for 2-3 years, i still find myself putting it back in the cd player. Would sit it next to my fav new age albums and find it quite a bit next to even Pink Floyds Dark Side Of The Moon. Would recommend this album to anyone, thanks a lot for my listening pleasure...