2B Vibes Music/ « The RingMaster Review

Bringing a freshness and passion to the folk rock genre, In The Morning Light from Israeli singer songwriter Geva Alon is a thoroughly engaging and striking album. With a confident and imaginative grip it takes the listener through warm and near sultry climes with songs which inspire and are borne from the heart of the individual and life itself. The album is gentle, a flood of melodic caresses, and most of all a lake of enveloping emotion to comfortably immerse within.

From his days with his indie rock band The Flying Baby and playing with Shay Noblemen, Alon has grown through his solo work into a major presence in the music and ears of his homeland. Through his debut album Days of Hunger of 2006 and subsequent releases The Wall of Sound the following year and Get Closer of 2009, he has garnered a persistently and eager acclaim and following. His shows has found him playing alongside the likes of Paul Weller and Yo La Tango whilst tours has brought him an ever increasing enthused following through Israel, Spain and the UK.

Released through 2B Vibes Music/ADA Global July 16^th, In The Morning Light finds Alon unveiling a rich and lush melodic beauty within his songs which simply and easily captivates. Personal preference dictates that some of the songs may not ignite passions as much as others but all deserve and get an embrace of attention and willingness to give their persuasion a chance. Produced by Thom Monahan (The Jayhawks, Silver Jews, Dinosaur Jr.), the album is a vibrant weave of light and at times shadows brought with a perpetual warmth and open heart.

The recent excellent single The Great Enlightenment opens up the album and still stands as one of the best songs to wrap itself around the ear this year. From its instantly striking atmosphere woven by stirringly emotive guitars and attentive rhythms, the track spreads its keen arms through the hypnotic vocals of Alon and a delicious melancholic bass moodily permeating the air. The song with their presence finds a dramatic edge to its lively ambience to leave an almost unsettling and quirky yet fully irresistible lingering glamour after its departure.

The album finds alongside Alon the prowess and ability of guitarist Daniel Hyndman from folk band Vetiver, Rufus Wainwright bassist Jeff Hill, and drummer Otto Hauser, and others. From the opener right through to the final song there is a unity which offers the suggestion they have been playing alongside each other for years, which is not the case but does show the strength and ability of the songwriting and all involved to find that consistent and natural understanding.

The variety across In The Morning Light is another pleasing aspect, the release from the indie rock start moving into the Americana tinted I See The Love and its successor the blues veined Carolina. The first song is a rounded earnest piece which with its Southern melodic twinges and dusty heated sun brings a different kind of but equally mesmeric pull for the emotions whilst the second simply induces a compulsion to delve into its walls born from the reflective lyrics and slightly plaintive sounds.

As mentioned consistency of the highest level spines the album but alongside the single the songs of I Wonder If She’s Fine, Come Here Anytime and She Calls My Name, steal the show. The first pair of songs has similarity in sound and essence without actually being alike. The best way to describe them is a sultry mix of The Walker Brothers and The Smiths, both carrying a sixties energy and innocence veined by inspirational barbed melodies and inspirational emotive class. Alongside the voice of Alon the guitars light up the ear in both, their scorched touch and welcome nothing less than infectious.

She Calls My Name is an outstanding disturbed pop song releasing shadows and heartbreak with a persistent hook which makes the term melodic addition feel weak. It reminds of eighties band The Mighty Lemon Drops and leaves one simply grinning with pleasure.

Geva Alon with the single The Great Enlightenment suggested his new album would be something worth investigating, In The Morning Light in fact goes beyond deserving a mere look to emerge as a must for all melodic passionate indie rock fans.

RingMaster 08/07/2012