Cahalen Morrison & Country Hammer - The Flower of Muscle Shoals (2014)

The Flower of Muscle Shoals, the debut full-length album from Cahalen Morrison and Country Hammer, is a sparkling country gem from front to back. After releasing several recordings as part of acclaimed old-time duo Cahalen Morrison & Eli West, Morrison has further embraced the country music that shaped his youth. While offering up the comforting sounds of country and western's roots, the album plays more like a new classic than a dusty Nashville relic; glimmers of influence from the days of Hank Williams all the way to Dwight Yoakam pepper the album's twelve tracks. Morrison's commanding vocals steer listeners through the expansive landscape of his songwriting, marked by the subtle, yet striking truths he conveys with poetic ease. The Flower of Muscle Shoals lilts and swings through graceful arrangements of guitars, pedal steel, fiddle, bass and percussion, with a rich texture and genuine approach that is sure to rouse any fan of country and old-time music.