9.17.17 DAVID SACKLLAH @ Consequence of Sound writes: There’s a special kind of loneliness that comes along with big cities. Unlike rural, country towns, you’re surrounded by the bustle of millions of others wrapped up in their busy lives. It’s easy to fall into your own routine and ignore the outside world. Being alone in life surrounded by a crowd of others huddled together creates a dissonance unlike anywhere else. This is the backdrop for City Music, Kevin Morby’s fourth solo album and an ode to his former hometown of New York City. A loose concept album that follows a character trying to make his way alone in the city, it marks a clear progression for the former member of Woods and Babies to emerge as a noteworthy artist in his own right.

Morby envisioned City Music as a “companion” piece to last year’s gospel-tinged folk record, Singing Saw, but influenced by Lou Reed and Patti Smith as opposed to Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell. City Music unfolds with a brisk energy, a distinct counterpoint to the soothing calm of last year’s breakthrough. . .