Home > Music > CD Review > Morning State, 'You Know People I Know People'

Morning State, 'You Know People I Know People'

Atlanta newcomers are more than the sum of their punk and classic rock parts

By Scott Thill

Special to Metromix
May 5, 2008

Critic's Rating:

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Backstory: Atlanta's Morning State veers loudly between convention and innovation, mashing up the trashed rawk of the Replacements and the hardcore of Fugazi with enough skill to avoid creating a hybrid headed only for the mall. After the collapse of a label deal, the energetic foursome rerecorded this rollicking debut in 11 days.

Why you should care: Here's the thing: first time out, it may not seem like you should. But even slow-burners like "Should I Know" or "Yard Work" take you past riffs you've heard before into explosive blazes of glory. And when Morning State locks into a driving groove like on the pile-driving "Grown Up (Atlanta)" or "That's Quite a Rash," there are few bands working today who can match them in ferocity. The incendiary title track alone could chase a few MySpace bands off the stage.

Verdict: For a debut, Morning State's "You Know People I Know People" is a rarity: an album that re-identifies itself to you with each listen. Its parts may seem derivative in places, but finding an original anything in our mediated 21st century is an impossible task. If you want to bang your head at your desk or on the floor, Morning State is more than up to the task.

X-Factor: Lead singer Russ Ledford still holds down a day job as a substitute music teacher.