Kevin Morby – Little Wide Open

Eight albums in, Kevin Morby takes us through the acceptance of his current life and the reflection that comes with it. Having returned to his Kansas City hometown in 2017, the folk rock singer-songwriter approaches Little Wide Open with the simplicity of someone who feels more appreciative of where he’s been and leaning into what lies ahead. Coupled with some healthy self-doubt as he nears fatherhood, with his partner Katie Crutchfield of Waxahatchee, he’s drawn into a more vulnerable state.

Building on this sense of contentment, Morby reflects on his experiences when he sings, “I was feeling my age/I was up on a stage,” on “Die Young,” revealing the dualities of life as a seasoned touring musician. While not the most novel story to narrate, because he wouldn’t make it about himself, he’s earned the right to do that at this stage in his career.

Morby appreciates the small blessings that enrich his life, such as in “All Sinners,” where he contemplates how being present in the moment can serve as one's personal heaven. It complements a track like “Badlands,” where he describes the scenic pastures that colour his wandering state of mind both literally and figuratively: “In this life, we’re just passengers just passing by.”

Little Wide Open also represents a musical homecoming for Morby to the Americana that is central to much of his work, following his exploration of blues-influenced gospel (“Oh My God”) and string arrangements (“This Is a Photograph”) in recent years. He brings on board a list of collaborators to help, most notably Aaron Dessner of the National, who provides his signature downcast yet uplifting style to songs like “Cowtown” and “Javelin.” But while he succeeds to a degree, adding subtle touches of flair, the additions seem redundant—if slightly discordant—to Morby’s already expansive arrangements.

As expected, Morby’s songs tend to hold your attention more deeply when he allows them to breathe and drift, inspiring one to take a moment and soak in. No better is this represented than on the seven-minute album highlight, “Natural Disaster,” which captures the intense feeling of falling in love over a sustained, hypnotic fingerpicking pattern akin to Bert Jansch—and a Lucinda Williams appearance to boot. He recognises in his unhurried and transitional narrative that, to navigate the rocky path ahead, the journey comes with its own pace.

Little Wide Open is out now via Dead Oceans.