With Higher Than Here, James Morrison fulfills all of his ambitions. He wanted to make a less airy, dark record with beats. The whole had to be less pop and more gospel. Higher Than Here sounds exactly like that. Strong dance rhythms and echoing soul vocals color his songs in an innovative way. Mission accomplished, but it was not an easy delivery. Morrison took a long time to do this. The four
… years between his third album The Awakening and Higher Than Here he filled mainly with doubts. His life was turned upside down because his father passed away. And this turbulent period resulted in uncertainty about his own music. He threw away half a year's worth of recordings because he didn't feel anything. The tracks that Higher Than Here eventually made it to, shed new light on the singer. He's no longer the smiley boy, but a man with troubles and deep thoughts. Almost ten years after his smashing debut single You Give Me Something (2006), Morrison is less sweet, but still engaging. (JE)more
