The Morning After Girls – Alone

With a name that makes one think of either the morning after walk of shame after a late night hook-up or the morning after pill, the Morning After Girls is a band with a negative connotation from the get go. After listening to the group—none of which are girls—the associations slip away since one-night stands are more acceptable for males and the guys in the group aren’t obviously worried about a possible pregnancy. Since the Morning After Girls are originally from Melbourne (and now reside in New York), they can say the name was lost in translation (though we know they speak English down under).

Alone is dreamy, psychedelic rock (similar to that of My Bloody Valentine and the Pixies) with deep lyrics questioning the world, dealing with life and loneliness. Sacha Lucashenko (acoustic and electric guitars and vocals) and Martin B. Sleeman (6/12 string electric guitars and vocals) co-wrote the album together and are joined by EJ Hagen (bass), Anthony Johnson (drums) and Alexander White (keys/guitar/percussion and backup vocals).

In an interview with Buzz Bands earlier this month Sleeman said that new technologies are about giving instant connections, but that it is all an illusion. He said that the band wants to “make music that’s about meaningful connections.” This makes the theme behind the title track, “Alone,” much clearer. The song is about distractions and how that can make you feel isolated. Additionally, “You Need To Die” asks, “What will then be left when this generation fades?” Children growing up in this generation cannot recall a time when without cell phones, text messaging, computers with instant messaging and video chatting capabilities and other technologies that take away from true communication and relationships. How will this affect the future? It’s a question that is often asked, but rarely in music.

Another communication issue is described in “Part of Your Nature.” The song depicts a person that wants to place blame for events gone wrong on everyone and everything but himself because he loves being in denial. With lyrics like, “Blame the world for all the reasons/ But fill your life with doubt/ To see if there’s a meaning/ To live your life around/ The voice that’s most convenient/ will talk your mind around…. You wanted to stay in your place of regret.” The person would much rather be regretful and in denial than communicate in order to figure out what the real problem is and move forward with his life.

While most of the songs have a dismal ambiance, several of the tracks are upbeat with more rock roots, like “Who Is They.” The song starts off with an eerie intro that could fit perfectly in a scene from Lost with one of the show’s cast members waking up disoriented on the island, but quickly transitions with faster paced melodies and more powerful riffs. The Morning After Girls might give off a preconceived idea, but it’s the melancholy songs with the profound lyrics that ultimately arrest your attention.

Related posts:

1. Girls – Album
2. Indigo Girls – Poseidon and the Bitter Bug
3. Aesop Rock featuring art from Jeremy Fish- “Tomorrow Morning”

Tagged as: New York, Rock

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