Morrison ‘Awakes,’ then hits snooze

On his 2008 album, James Morrison recorded his hit “Broken Strings” with Nelly Furtado.

On his recent release, “The Awakening,” he again utilizes the talents of another pop star, Jessie J.

However, while Furtado’s vocals blended well with Morrison’s, the presence of Jessie J feels like a strained attempt at boosting interest in the album. And it’s not working well.

Though his funky, soulful voice has crooned his way to success in the past, Morrison’s attempt to popularize his sound falls flat. Songs like “Forever” and “One Life” sound vaguely like his earlier work, but the songs are missing the emotional punch of previous hits like “Broken Strings” and “You Make It Real.”

Other songs on the album, such as his collaboration with Jessie J on “Up,” feel too stylized and forced for Morrison’s easy sound.

“The Awakening” will please listeners new to Morrison’s sound, but avid Morrison listeners may be disappointed by the changes. While Morrison’s attempt to revitalize and freshen his sound is admirable, he did not achieve success.

Morrison’s voice isn’t awakened at all, as the album title may suggest, but confused.
The singer needs to return to his clear sound that made him a success earlier — that needed no awakening.