PICK OF THE MONTH

MORPHINE - THE NIGHT / DREAMWORKS 2000

The moment that Mark Sandman’s candle burned out, the only thing left was The Night. While it may seem tacky to reference an artist’s -- or any person’s -- death with a play on words, there’s a little more meaning inside that statement. After all, his bandmates will certainly move on to grow as musicians and continue their careers, but this is where Sandman’s stops. This is the album by which he is ultimately to be remembered. His death makes listening to The Night’s deep riffs particularly difficult since he was at the top of his game and showing plenty potential to spare. Ranging from upbeat chords of jazz/ rock to the introspective poetry of a coffee house poet, he shows greater depth than ever before. While a few tracks display the unique groove that Morphine is so well-known for, there is something noticeably different about the CD’s general feel. This time around, the sound takes a much more melancholy turn than Morphine’s previous releases. The musical arrangements are stripped down, but Morphine still employs many instruments on the release. Each back-up piece supports the trademark drums, slide bass, baritone sax, and vocals. This way, the band retains their signature elements while creating a thick, low sound. The result of this build-it-up-to-tear-it-down approach is a tone as dense as sadness and loss itself.