Group Name: The Morris Trio
Website: www.morristrio.com
Album Title: “The Morris Trio” (self-titled)
Song Titles:
1. All The Right Doors
2. God Forbid
3. The Devil Lost His Keys
4. Asking
5. After A Fall
6. Going Through The Motions
7. A Little Further Down The Road
8. He Didn’t Take My Storm
9. One Like You, One Like Me
10. This Poor Man Cried
The Morris Trio is an up-and-coming group based out of Aiken, SC. The group was originally based out of Laurel, MS, and was known as “Master’s Voice”. Tenor Lenwood Morris was an original member, and he is currently joined by his younger brother Sam (baritone) and good friend Benjamin Pruett (lead).
This self-titled album is the group’s first as “The Morris Trio”, but it is their third album overall. The front page of their website describes them as a “progressive gospel trio”, and that is a very accurate description. There are a couple of songs on the album that are reminiscent of a more traditional style of Southern Gospel, and there are some songs on the album that are definitely contemporary in nature. However, all would be classified in some way as “progressive”. I would probably compare this album style-wise to the “Give It Away” album by the Gaither Vocal Band, only The Morris Trio may be pushing the “progressive envelope” just a bit more than the GVB on a few songs. The album was produced by Ricky Free, son of well-known tenor Brian Free.
The cover of the album is clean, simple, and straightforward. There is a clear picture of all 3 group members, and the group name (and also the album title in this case) is in the middle of the pictures. Looking inside the cover, I was happy to see that the group had included the lyrics to the songs on the album. This is always a plus, in my opinion.
Now, let’s take a look at each of the songs on the album.
The album starts out with the medium-tempo “All The Right Doors”. This smooth-flowing song has a progressive flavor to it, and the vocal blend is very clean. The following song slows the tempo down considerably. “God Forbid” is actually a song that CCM fans should recognize from the “Life, Love, And Other Mysteries” album by the group Point Of Grace. I have always loved this beautiful ballad, and it really translates well to a progressive Southern Gospel setting.
“The Devil Lost His Keys” is the third song, and it features tenor Lenwood Morris on the verses. This is an upbeat tune, and it is one of the cuts on the album that is reminiscent of a more traditional style while still remaining undoubtedly progressive. Lenwood has a very high tenor range, and his tone is very clear. This is easily one of my favorite songs on the entire album.
The fourth song is one that most people would not classify as anything remotely resembling their idea of Southern Gospel. When I first heard “Asking”, my first thought was that it sounded like a song that a group such as FFH would do. This upbeat song is probably the most contemporary one on the album. However, that takes nothing away from the album. The vocals are once again flawless, and the blend of parts is smooth.
Song #5 slows the tempo down some. “After A Fall” is a medium-tempo ballad featuring the lead voice of Benjamin Pruett. He has a smooth, rich voice that is very pleasant to listen to, and it fits this song perfectly. This leads into the sixth song, “Going Through The Motions”. The tempo is pretty much the same as the previous song, and here we find the baritone vocals of Sam Morris featured. You can definitely tell by his vocals that he is Lenwood’s brother- only a couple of octaves lower! The Morris family is a talented one.
Song #7 is another of my favorites. “A Little Further Down The Road” is an up-tempo song that has some traditional Southern Gospel qualities to it. This is followed by a medium-tempo ballad entitled “He Didn’t Take My Storm”. In my opinion, this song has one of the strongest messages on the album. Once again, the group’s harmonies are smooth and beautiful.
The tempo slows down again for the 9th song, a ballad entitled “One Like You, One Like Me”. The album ends with what fans of Southern Gospel call a “barn burner”. This song is probably the closest one on the album to traditionally-styled Southern Gospel. “This Poor Man Cried” is another of my favorites.
If you ‘re someone who doesn’t like the progressive Southern Gospel sound, then this album is probably not for you. However, if you have an ear for that style, then you will most definitely enjoy this group. I know that I most certainly did. Lenwood, Sam, and Benjamin have a blend that is as good as any trio I’ve heard. I really enjoy their sound. I also like the material they chose for this album. Each song has a strong message that will bless and/or challenge you.
There is one thing that I need to mention as a bit of “constructive criticism”. On many of the album’s songs, the arrangements were somewhat overpowering when compared to the vocals. I am mainly referring to the volume of the arrangements- to me, the vocals should stand out just a bit more. This might be something that the group wants to watch out for on future projects.
In closing, I am glad to have the privilege of reviewing this album. I am definitely looking forward to hearing what The Morris Trio puts out in the future. Overall, I think that this album deserves a rating of 4 1/2 out of a possible 5 microphones!
Personal Favorites: “God Forbid”, “The Devil Lost His Keys”, “A Little Further Down The Road”, and “This Poor Man Cried”