T. Hardy Morris, Obscure Dude

Aside from the jubilant “Homemade Bliss,” the better songs on T. Hardy Morris’ new album Dude, The Obscure turn down the upbeat garage, grunge and hard country influences. He chose instead to write a bunch of downbeat tunes that’ll make you feel like you’re spying on his internal dialogue about both mundane and momentous happenings.

Morris takes the things a Southern wordsmith is supposed to stress – life, love and faith, from birth to the grave – and builds such softer, poetic songs as “The Night Everything Changed,” “Cheating Life, Living Death” and “No Reason.”

The new direction works on record for the Dead Confederate and Diamond Rugs member, even if some of his more rocking material typically makes his live show memorable. Hometown fans won’t have to wait long to find out how these new songs impact Morris’ set, as the release show for his debut on New West subsidiary Normaltown Records (and third solo album overall) happens June 22 at the Georgia Theatre as part of AthFest.

Photo by Alec Stanley.