On the latest effort from singer/songwriter John Moreland, called Birds in the Ceiling, he remains at his most captivating version of himself as he sings in-depth poetic verses over a vast landscape of sound. The nine-track set was produced by Matt Pence (Jason Isbell, The Breeders), whom he also collaborated on the great LP5 album. Moreland sounds like a man who’s coming fully engulfed into the sound that he has carefully crafted over the course of his musical career, and he continues to win audiences over with his transcendent vocals and brilliant guitar playing. Much like LP5, Moreland is open to musical experimentation with ambient sounds and electronic beats in the background to bring further texture to the picture he paints on Birds in the Ceiling.
”Ugly Faces” was the first single to be released from the record, and the piano-laced track features a nice, steady beat that allows for Moreland to weave a complex web of storytelling through his heartfelt lyrics. On this record in particular, Moreland talks about his own life experiences and uses himself as the vehicle for a lot of the observations he makes here. It’s a nice treat to be invited into Moreland’s personal space, and it only makes his music that much more endearing. “Lion’s Den” continues with some more experimental beats much like how contemporary artists like Rostam have organized their music in order to keep things interesting. The background noises never distract or overpower Moreland’s crisp vocal delivery, and it makes for an overall beautiful listening experience.
Other early tracks like “Cheap Idols” find Moreland’s steady hand at songwriting coming into focus even more clearly with a sure-fire beat paired with an acoustic guitar to allow for him to tell his own story. His captivating lyrics bring the listener in even closer as you wouldn’t dare miss one of his words of wisdom to take along your own journey. “Generational Dust” and “Dim Little Light” both reflect off of each other well and make sense in the album sequencing. On the latter, Moreland continues his lyrical writing towards the introspective as he mulls about his place in this crazy, vast world.
Things pick up a little more momentum on “Claim Your Prize,” a great-sounding song that continues to feature some unique background sounds paired with Moreland’s impressive guitar playing that explodes out of the speakers with veteran poise and professionalism. This song in particular reminded me a bit of Brian Fallon’s solo work, with equally pleasing results. “Neon Middle June” opens with a chaotic piano interlude before Moreland’s vocals bring the listener back in before they drift away from the distractions.
The closing duo of “Truth Be Told” and the title track do little to dissuade the overall enjoyment one feels when listening to John Moreland’s music. His voice wraps around your headphones like a warm blanket as he tells rich anecdotes and lessons learned in his life with the utmost passion. If there are any flaws to be found on Birds in the Ceiling it’s that some of the material sounds too similar to the songs that came before it, but on the other hand, this could be interpreted as cohesive artistic statement that never overstays its welcome. In fact, I have a feeling that Moreland will gain even more fans as he continues his foray into this type of experimental folk rock with his unmatched artistic authenticity.