Customer Reviews

Outside the Lines

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

 

 

Cory Morrow writes, records and tours in a Texas-centric universe unaffected by the gravitational pull of Nashville's musical black hole. Across five releases (including an album of covers recorded with fellow Texan, Pat Green) and endless rounds of the Lone Star state's dance halls and college campuses, the Austin-based Morrow has carved out a stardom that is a legacy handed down from the independence of Waylon, Willie and the boys.

This release finds Morrow's songwriting maturing from his earlier booze-soaked works (not entirely missing, mind you) to introspective songs of romance, morality and faith. Celtic-flavored love songs such as "More Than Perfect" and lamentations like "(Love Me) Like You Used To Do," find Morrow probing deeply into the complexities of relationships. Many of the tracks, fleshed out with producer Lloyd Maines, lean on acoustic playing, but Morrow still kicks up some electric two-steppers, including the title tune and "Straight to Hell." The standout "Drinkin' Alone" combines a shuffle rhythm with fiddle and steel to make a danceable tune out of a rather sad tale.

The craft and balance of Morrow's latest situates his music between the singer-songwriter sound of Bruce Robison and the graceful sophistication of Clint Black. It's a mix that would play well outside of Texas, if only Morrow could find the time to tour abroad.

3-1/2 stars, if Amazon.com allowed fractional ratings.

I became interested in Cory Morrow after hearing "Nashville Blues" on the radio in Austin, TX. I picked up that album "The Man That I've Been" and found it to be a collection of catchy, well-written songs that can only be classified as country, but have nothing to do with the schmaltz that comes out of Nashville these days. Since I was so fond of that album, I had high hopes for the follow up. And, after listening to "Outside the Lines" a few times, I am not disappointed. The original songs are a little more mature than those on previous albums. The cover songs, "Friend of the Devil" and "Straight to Hell" are really well done and appropriate to the type of music Cory does. I think the album is fantastic.

This is an excellent album. I live in Maryland and have all of Cory's CD's. I wish I could hear him on the radio. This man deserves to be famous all around the country.

This is an excellent album. I live in Maryland and have all of Cory's CD's. I wish I could hear him on the radio. This man deserves to be famous all around the country.

After hearing some of the new stuff in concert, I waited for several weeks for this album to come out, and it did not disappoint. It gives any listener that has not had the opportunity to see Cory live the chance to see just how talented a writer and musician he is. This CD quickly jumped to the top of my "most played" list, and will stay there for a long time to come. Keep it up Cory, Texas is proud.

Cory Morrow and Lloyd Maines deserve each other. They're both purely mediocre talents, and this CD lives up to every bit of that mediocrity. Maines' slick, souless production has found a soulmate in Morrow's slick, souless lyrics. This is a marriage made in mediocre heaven.