Morrison Graves Premiere “Home”; Under the Weight of Gravity Out Friday
Portland, Oregon’s Morrison Graves self-release their new EP, Under the Weight of Gravity, July 17. The five-song outing is the first from the spacious, atmospheric heavy rockers — who are as much informed by psych as Americana as post-rock and whose project seems to be to dig their own niche like Tuco going for the gold at Sad Hill Cemetery — since their 2023 full-length debut, Division Rising, and opening track “Home” is the third single to be revealed ahead of the release. If that seems odd to you, that a band would put out three singles ahead of an outing that only has five songs on it, 1: they’re making the most of it, let them cook, and 2: it tells you something about the quality of the songs.
Indeed, “Home” starts with a fuzzed reachout of a riff, urgent even before the drums kick in, but still abidingly mellow in soul as bassist Ryan Brown‘s vocals arrive soon for the first verse. Shades of All Them Witches, Lord Buffalo, Spirit Mother or King Buffalo pervade the ebbs and flows, but the dynamic is the point, along with the melancholy. It is representative of the whole in
vibe more than arrangement, as the subsequent “The Swarm” answers the question of why I keep seeing this band compared to The Doors (their moniker aside), with a current of sitar running through and a low-mouth resonance in the vocals while the guitars swirl underwater ahead of the return to modernity brought by “Alice,” which is pointedly fuller in tone, hooky like post-punk and brought to a stirring crescendo with efficiency that only feels deceptive because the mix runs so deep and is so easy to get lost in.
The sitar sound returns as a drone in “In the Mourning,” which follows suit from “Alice” in its more densely toned push but breaks in its second half to highlight the ambience before coming back to full volume with a tambourine for an added sense of movement, while the sub-two-minute finisher “Recycled Fragments” backs off instrumentally in the sense of feeling farther away as a backdrop for the vocals. For a release that’s been so focused on mood throughout, it’s a fair enough way to end, keeping melody central as Morrison Graves have been doing all the while, while at the same time casting out an expanse in which the willing listener can dwell for a time. Even a quick one.
Primarily, then, what’s on offer is resonance. “Home” is an opportunity to commune, to get out of your own head for a couple minutes and find out where it puts you. Give it a shot and see where you end up. As always, I hope you enjoy.
PR wire info follows the premiere on the player below:
Pre-orders: https://morrisongraves.bandcamp.com
Morrison Graves navigate the realms of pre-doom and post-psychedelia. Their fuzzy, swirling brand of rock pulls influence from 60’s psych/garage, Eastern modes, and indie rock.
Morrison Graves’ debut album, Division Rising, released during the pandemic, valiantly tackled themes of gentrification, homelessness, and socio-economic disparity. This album was a collective howl in dark times, garnering an audience and establishing a precedent for the band.
After the world re-opened, Morrison Graves transitioned from a recording project to a live band. Yet, emerging into this new post-pandemic reality, it is evident that normalcy has been shattered and the fragile constructs that society was precariously balanced upon are now nakedly exposed.
In this fraught atmosphere, Morrison Graves has embarked upon recording a new EP, Under The Weight of Gravity. Their new songs address themes of tribalism, resource consumption, the global war machine, civil war, death, loss, and hope. There is urgency to address this existential state of dread and to sound the alarm. Firmly grounded in their ethos and distinct point of view, Morrison Graves’ response is to create rather than scream into the void.
Artist: Morrison Graves
Album: Under The Weight of Gravity EP
Record Label: Self-released
Release Date: July 17, 2026
Tracklisting:
01. Home
02. The Swarm
03. Alice
04. In The Mourning
05. Recycled Fragments
Drums recorded at Supernatural (Oregon City, OR) by Robert Bartleson
Vocals, guitar, bass, percussion, keys recorded by Ryan Brown
Mixed at Haywire Recording (Portland, OR) by Robert Bartleson
Mastered at Telegraph Mastering (Portland, OR) by Adam Gonsalves
Morrison Graves are:
Ryan Brown: vocals, guitar, bass (on “Home”), tambourine
Gary Jimmerson: guitar, Farfisa organ, digital Mellotron, sitar, percussion
Brent Jones: guitar, drums, percussion
Chris Forrette: drums
Michelle Muldrow: bass, vocals
Love hearing your group evolve!!! This track is definitely going places! Keep it coming!!!