Another resurrection, some other recommendations

In the spirit of rekindling interest in old favorites, here’s another band that I loved, lost, and found again: Morcheeba.

Morcheeba’s first albums were fronted by the inimitable Skye Edwards, whose silky voice served as a great anchor for the Godfrey brothers’ combination of trip-hop and soul. Check out The Sea and Rome Wasn’t Built in a Day for good examples.

Skye left the band in the early 2000s, and they struggled to replace her, releasing 2005’s (pretty good) The Antidote with one singer — and touring in support of the album with a different singer.

I saw them live on that tour, and it just didn’t compare the electrifying Skye-enhanced set I experienced in ’02. My hopes for a strong future for Morcheeba were dimmed.

I recently picked up 2008’s Dive Deep, which witnesses the brothers trying a new tactic: instead of using one vocalist, they rely on several. The result is surprisingly good. Perhaps too smooth in places, but the overall feel is excellent. Here are two of my favorite tracks. (The latter features Cool Calm Pete; Grant would be proud.)

And while I’m throwing stuff out there, here’s an old gem from Paul Simon’s 1990 album The Rhythm of the Saints. It’s not even my favorite song on the album, but it showcases his intricate guitar melodies, evocative lyrics, and beautiful songwriting.

I’d also like to recommend my friend Max’s excellent radio show, The Golden Beet on KALX. He’s got several shows up on the site, and they’re all worth a listen.