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List Price: $18.98 | | Label: Emd Int'l
Salesrank: 60027
Released: July 24, 2001 |
| Our Price: $3.98 |
| Used Price: $3.00 |
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| Media: Audio CD |
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Morning Orbit Track Listing:
1. How Are You?
2. Too Close to the Sun
3. Black Black Heart
4. Alone in the Universe
5. Butterfly
6. Joy in Small Places
7. Day in the Life
8. My Way Out
9. Blinded
10. Fast Car
11. Closer
12. Black Black Heart 2.0
Editorial Review:
Second solo album for one of Canada's premier songwriters & performers who's full-time gig is lead singer for multi-platinum band Moist. For this, his second solo outing, David Usher is joined by Canuck music-stars Snow, Jag and Bruce from I Mother Earth and Gord Sinclair from The Tragically Hip (as well as all his Moist-mates) on an album of introspective and delightful soundscapes, as seen on songs like "How Are You?" and the lead single "Alone In The Universe". 11 tracks in all. 2001.
Description of Morning Orbit:
As frontman for platinum Canadian angst-rockers Moist, David Usher seems to bear the weight of the world on his shoulders. Morning Orbit gives us an Usher who is looser and poppier. The dreamy, diaphanous opener, "How Are You," and "A Day in the Life" are the songs most likely to land him in Beatles Court, while "Too Close to the Sun" and the lush single "Alone in the Universe" only momentarily recall the guitar bluster of his band. Usher and his production team, including members of Moist, pull out all the stops on "Black Black Heart," which mixes an opera sample, guest vocalist Julia Galios, and scratchy programming.
Aided and abetted by Canadian rapper Snow, Usher offers a semblance of new jack swing in the late-night vibe of "Joy in Small Places." The disc's full melodies and studio-tweaked successes are sometimes offset by the singer's pretensions, though. A line in "How Are You" about "another struggle just to get through nine to five" is laughable coming from a guy who hasn't had a day job in years, while a cover of Tracy Chapman's dead-end-lives portrait "Fast Car" only serves to remind listeners of the vastly superior original. And, in "Butterfly," Usher's tendency to over-emote sinks an otherwise delicate, acoustic guitar-based number. But those who can overlook such foibles--and, judging by the success of Moist, there are many--will find much to like about Morning Orbit. --Shawn Conner
Morning Orbit Reviews:
Will be one of your fav albums of all time!! 
2006-03-10 - I recieved this album from a friend (I live in Australia) and thought i must've died. It is almost impossible to even import any David Usher into the country, but even after having this album for 2-3 years, i still find myself putting it back in the cd player. Would sit it next to my fav new age albums and find it quite a bit next to even Pink Floyds Dark Side Of The Moon. Would recommend this album to anyone, thanks a lot for my listening pleasure...
This guy rocks!
2003-11-21 - Wow!I just went to his concert which is part of the promotional tour for his new album "Hallucination".I must say that this guy sounds AWESOME in live,even better than the album tracks.When his signature song "Black Black Heart" bursts out without our anticipation,it truly feels like a bliss!This is my first concert ever,and it's really impressive!So I am going to buy this album tomorrow,instead of the new one,'cause I still can't get this one out my head!
Orbiting
2003-02-06 - MORNING ORBIT is David Usher's second solo LP, a follow up to 1998's LITTLE SONGS. ORBIT is a bit more upbeat, but still lyrically challenging and compelling. The album opens with the musically upbeat and lyrically dark "How Are You?" which is layered with many vocals and instrumentation, excellent arrangement. "Black Black Heart" is another winner, backed by operetic vocals from Julia Galos, giving the song added depth and meaning, and giving it a more gothic feeling. Even the remix works, giving it an electronica feel. "Butterfly" is a mystical song with interesting arrangements. That is what makes this CD truly original is the arrangement of the tracks, totally unlike anything I've heard before. Other highlights include "Alone In The Universe", "Closer", "Fast Car" and "A Day In The Life". Give this one a whirl, its definately original and different, in a good way.
Stunningly Original
2002-12-02 - "Little Songs," Usher's 1998 solo set, was brilliant with its care for arrangement, melody, and lyrical depth. "Morning Orbit" comes in a bit less dark, but equally compelling. "How Are You" opens with layered keyboard, guitar and multi-tracked backing vocals on this musically cheerful, lyrically dark track, "Had a vision of the ruby sky, we were riding high on our own pink elephant, another day in this f**ked-up life, another struggle just to get through nine to five." Four of his five bandmates from Moist play on the CD. Spine opens with insistent keyboards on the electric samba "Too Close to the Sun." My favorite track is "Black Black Heart." It gets a haunting, downright spooky treatment on track 3 followed by the uncredited electronic crunch guitar version that is track 12. Julia Galos' operatic background vocals give a surreal quality to the first version, "I'm eating all your kings & queens, all your sex & your diamonds as I begin to lose my grip on these realities you're sending, taste your mind & taste your sex; I'm naked underneath your cover." "Alone in the Universe," the single, churns in a maelstrom of electric guitar, "He's got his suit, his tie, his drink, his mtv; he's trading his life away, you can't escape, we're all infected now." The melody of "Butterfly" flits by like the zigzag flight of one of these sweet creatures. Canadian reggae rapper Snow cowrote "Joy in Small Places" while Jay Tanna from the Canadian band I Mother Earth joins David on vocals on a musically complex driving track that will have you hitting the repeat button. "A Day In the Life" written by Usher moves like Joshua Tree-era U2. David's vocals are breathy on the slow, beautifully melodic "My Way Out" which builds to crescendo. "Blinded" is an electric track with lyrics submerged, "a circus sideshow but the makeup's shining through." Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car" is given quite a different reading, a dream and desire for escape. "I blew it up with everyone who ever knew me," David sings on "Closer." The electric version of "Black Black Heart" raves like an electronic sunspot with vocals submerged beyond recognition, a brilliant contrast to track 3's version. Usher is again brilliant on "Morning Orbit." Why there's not a US release is more than a mystery. This is prime rock from a brilliant artist.
This album is amazing!
2002-07-17 - It's been a full year since I purchased Morning Orbit, and I'm still listening to it - that says a lot. It's toally amazing - the lyrics, the music, the voice. David is such a talent, and I'm so glad this album has done well for him. He makes us Canadians proud!
