{"title":"Artist: Morphine","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"morphine-cure-for-pain-lp-vinyl-record","title":"Cure For Pain","description":"\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eKEY FEATURES\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFirst-ever US vinyl issue\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAudiophile edition remastered for 180-Gram LP\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHoused in an expanded gatefold jacket\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFeatures the essential songs “Buena”, “Sheila”, “Candy” and “Cure For Pain”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Unquestionably one of the best and most cutting-edge rock releases of the ’90s.”_ – Allmusic\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Low-rock” and “Fuck-rock” are two descriptors enigmatic \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMorphine\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003c\/em\u003efrontman \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMark Sandman\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e used to describe his band’s beat-inspired blues-jazz-rock holy racket. Along with Sandman’s baritone vocal delivery and laconic two-string bass styling, co-founder \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDana Colley\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e played the saxophone as his lead instrument of choice instead of the expected guitar, creating a quirky and burning sensibility. Original drummer \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJerome Deupree\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e, who was replaced by percussionist \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBilly Conway\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e during the recording of 1993’s Cure For Pain, flushed out the unorthodox trio. Released on vinyl as the second title on \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLight In The Attic’s Modern Classics Recordings\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e imprint (following a reissue of Mercury Rev’s seminal Deserter’s Songs) we’re happy to put this essential album back out in the world.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFeaturing the essential songs “\u003cem\u003eBuena\u003c\/em\u003e,” “\u003cem\u003eSheila\u003c\/em\u003e,” “\u003cem\u003eCandy\u003c\/em\u003e,” and the moving title track “\u003cem\u003eCure For Pain\u003c\/em\u003e,” this is the album’s first-ever US vinyl issue. Modern Classics’ Cure For Pain features lovingly re-mastered audio, 180-gram wax, deluxe “tip-on” gatefold jacket with original album art.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTragically, Morphine’s Sandman passed away on stage at an Italian gig with the group in 1999, leaving behind five engaging albums. Today, the group is hailed as one of the great bands of the last 25 years and was recently profiled in the feature-length documentary \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCure For Pain: The Mark Sandman Story (2011)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e. Modern Classics Recordings is extremely proud to help spread the gospel of Morphine’s Cure For Pain.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ciframe height=\"380\" width=\"100%\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/album\/0FocpOyE7RnaNsiaEhSbp6?utm_source=generator\" style=\"border-radius: 12px;\" allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e","brand":"Morphine","offers":[{"title":"LP \/ Black","offer_id":41672590590143,"sku":"MCR901-BK","price":42.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0620\/6947\/3471\/products\/large_550_MCR901_Morphine_450.jpg?v=1653895870"},{"product_id":"like-swimming-morphine-lp-vinyl-record","title":"Like Swimming","description":"\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eKEY FEATURES\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cb\u003eFirst time on vinyl\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cb\u003e1xLP pressed on 180-Gram Special Color Variants\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cb\u003eOpaque Blue Vinyl \u0026amp; Translucent Red Vinyl\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cb\u003eRemastered from the original tapes by Pete Weiss\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cb\u003eHoused in a deluxe gatefold jacket and featuring art direction and design by Darryl Norsen 20-page booklet featuring lyrics, unseen photos, ephemera, and artwork by Mark Sandman, along with new liner notes by Ryan H. Walsh\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eRELEASE DESCRIPTION\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/clk0lwQQN-M\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eModern Classic Recordings, an imprint of Light in the Attic Records, proudly announces the deluxe vinyl reissue of Morphine’s 1997 album \"Like Swimming\", marking the very first availability of the title on wax.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe album has been lovingly remastered by Pete Weiss at Boston’s Jade Cow Music, with lacquers cut by John Golden. The record was pressed at Austin, TX’s Gold Rush Vinyl and is available in two colorways. The 1xLP \"Like Swimming\" (which features such favorites as “Early to Bed,” “French Fries with Pepper,” and “Eleven O’Clock”) can be found on 180-gram opaque blue or translucent red wax.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRounding out the package is a 20-page booklet, featuring rare and never-before-seen images from the band’s archives, including photos by Lana Z. Caplan and Danny Clinch, artifacts from Morphine’s career, and unseen art by the band’s late frontman, Mark Sandman. A major highlight is the insightful new liner notes by Ryan H. Walsh—a Boston-based journalist, musician, visual artist, and author of the acclaimed 2018 book _Astral Weeks: A Secret History of 1968_. Walsh’s notes include a handful of new interviews detailing the band’s career, including one of the final interviews with Morphine drummer Billy Conway, who played drums in Sandman’s previous band, Treat Her Right. The album is housed in a deluxe gatefold jacket, featuring gorgeous art direction and design by Darryl Norsen at D. Norsen Design, also of Boston.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDedicated to the memories of Sandman and late drummer Billy Conway, both albums were produced with the full support of Morphine’s surviving members (drummer Jerome Deupree and saxophonist Dana Colley), as well as the band’s friends, family members, and collaborators—many of whom shared their memories with Walsh.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Like Swimming\" and _The Night_ follow Modern Classic Recordings’ acclaimed vinyl reissue of Morphine’s sophomore album, _Cure For Pain_, first reissued on LP in 2011.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInspired by a map of Morphine’s Cambridge included in the liner notes to The Night, Ryan H. Walsh will be leading a walking tour on September 24, 2023 (Mark Sandman’s birthday) for twenty-five “Lucky” fans. The tour will start at the former location of Hi-n-Dry studio (Mark’s loft) and include an intimate concert by Vapors of Morphine upstairs at the Middle East. There will also be a vinyl signing with original band members Dana Colley and Jerome Deupree at Cheapo Records after the show. Press are invited to cover the event. More details and tickets available \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/events.please.co\/products\/morphine-walking-tour-experience\"\u003e *here*\u003c\/a\u003e on Thursday August 9.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e*MORE ABOUT MORPHINE AND \"Like Swimming\":*\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFormed in 1989, Morphine quickly gained a name for themselves in Boston’s underground scene, thanks to their unconventional instrumentation, their clever, offbeat lyricism, and their utterly unique sound. Named for Morpheus, the Greek God of Dreams, the trio (singer, songwriter, and bassist Mark Sandman, saxophonist Dana Colley, and drummer Jerome Deupree) delivered a mesmerizing blend of tonalities that were moody, yet seductive: Sandman’s intriguing baritone vocals and a two-string slide bass guitar (initially outfitted with just one string), Colley’s baritone sax (he was known to play two horns at the same time), and the vibrant percussion of original drummer Deupree and then Billy Conway, who frequently stepped in as drummer. When it came to classifying Morphine’s music, critics were at a loss. Was it jazz? Blues? Alt-rock? Beat poetry? To avoid the inevitable pigeonholing, Sandman coined his own genre: Low Rock.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eForming a creative partnership with producer Paul Q. Kolderie (whose credits read like a who’s who of alt-rock heroes, including Radiohead, The Lemonheads, Hole, and the Pixies), the band released their critically-acclaimed debut, Good, in 1991. When they followed with 1993’s _Cure for Pain_, their fanbase had grown exponentially, leading to tours across the US, Europe, Australia, and Japan. 1995’s Yes broke the _Billboard 200_ —by then, the trio had scored several hits on college radio, while videos for “Thursday” (off _Cure for Pain)_ and “Honey White” _(Yes)_ played on MTV. At the same time, Morphine’s music was gaining further exposure through synchs in major films, including David O. Russel’s feature debut, _Spanking the Monkey_ (1994), _Beautiful Girls_ (1996), and the GRAMMY®-nominated soundtrack for _Get Shorty_ (1995). Amid the ‘90s signing boom, it was only inevitable that the major labels would come calling. As the trio began work on their fourth studio album, they received an enticing offer from the newly-founded Dreamworks Records. But signing with the LA-based label would be both a blessing and a curse—particularly for Morphine’s supremely independent frontman.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn his liner notes for \"Like Swimming\", Ryan H. Walsh suggests that after years of uncertainties, the band’s newfound sense of security carried over into their songwriting.“ \"Like Swimming\" is an album about getting into the flow of things finally going your way, about comfortably making use of your talents and doing it all with confidence, grace, and style,” he writes. That air of lightness marked a stylistic departure for the trio and can be heard throughout the album.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSingle “Early to Rise,” for instance, offers a sense of nocturnal joie de vivre. Inspired by Benjamin Franklin’s proverb, the song is driven by a buoyant sax line, over which Sandman sings, “Early to bed and early to rise\/Makes a man or woman miss out on the night life.” Speaking to Walsh about the song, Colley fondly recalls, “I think [Sandman] was trying to make a case for his lifestyle…Everybody in his world were nine-to-fivers, including his parents. That he was living his life this way, making his own hours, was a victory he wanted to celebrate.” That sentiment carries over to the hypnotic “Eleven O’Clock,” in which Sandman repeats one mantra-like phrase about leaving his house at the same hour every night.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe frontman also details the simple pleasures in life in the playful “French Fries with Pepper,” while “Wishing Well” (which offers a fantastic example of Colley’s simultaneous talents on two saxophones) finds Sandman confidently declaring, “I’m exactly where I want to be right now.” Indeed, Sandman was in a very good place. In addition to the highs of his career, he was also settling down with his longtime partner, Sabine Hrechdakian. Subtle romanticisms can be heard in songs like “Swing It Low,” in which he sing-speaks assurances in hushed, rhythmic tones.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile \"Like Swimming\" is now held in high regard, not everyone took as kindly to Morphine’s major label debut. But consider the context. As Walsh notes, “in the 1990s alternative music world, fans cared about an artist’s perceived authenticity to a borderline extremist degree, punishing those they felt had sold out.” This was certainly the case for Morphine, particularly when it came to the media.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDespite the pushback from critics, however, the album’s commercial performance tells a different story. Released in March 1997, \"Like Swimming\" landed at No.67 on the _Billboard 200_, becoming the highest-selling title of Morphine’s career. “Early to Bed” peaked at No.10 on the Adult Alternative Airplay chart while its video, in which a group of children watch an inspired puppet show, earned a GRAMMY® nomination for Best Short Form Music Video the following year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo support the record and pay tribute to their late bandmate, Colley, Conway, and a variety of Sandman’s collaborators and friends toured as Orchestra Morphine. Nine years later, Colley, Deupree, and bassist\/vocalist Jeremy Lyons formed \u003ca title=\"Vapors of Morphine\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vaporsofmorphine.com\/\"\u003eVapors of Morphine\u003c\/a\u003e. While Deupree retired in 2019 (replaced by drummer Tom Arey), in addition to playing their own material, the group continues to perform Morphine songs through regular concerts and recordings, including a show upstairs at the Middle East Club in Cambridge, Massachusetts on September 24, 2023 to celebrate the release of the vinyl on Mark Sandman’s birthday.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMeanwhile, Sandman’s legacy lives on through Morphine’s music and the many artists the band has influenced and inspired along the way. Fans can visit the \u003ca title=\"Morphine Loft\" href=\"https:\/\/morphineband.com\/\"\u003eMorphine Loft\u003c\/a\u003e, a virtual space celebrating Mark’s life, writing, art, and music curated from his archives, with exhibitions on Like Swimming, The Night, and Cure For Pain’s 30th Anniversary to come this fall. The site also has a forum where fans can share their own memorabilia and contribute thoughts on what makes Mark and Morphine so unique. Those who want to visit the many landmarks associated with the band, including the building where The Night was recorded and Mark Sandman Square just outside of the famed Middle East venue where Morphine played its first shows, can use Morphine’s map of Cambridge, MA included in the liner notes for The Night.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTRACKLIST \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLilah\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePotion\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eI Know You (Pt. III)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEarly to Bed\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWishing Well\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLike Swimming\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMurder For the Money\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFrench Fries With Pepper\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEmpty Box\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEleven OClock\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHanging On A Curtain\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSwing It Low\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eLISTEN\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eAvailable on Desktop \u0026amp; Mobile\u003c\/em\u003e\u003ciframe style=\"border-radius: 12px;\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/album\/0ZJyOePPMtaA6C1PXpNx3N?utm_source=generator\" width=\"100%\" height=\"352\" loading=\"lazy\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e","brand":"Morphine","offers":[{"title":"LP \/ Blue","offer_id":42439802290367,"sku":"MCR929-BL","price":34.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"LP \/ Red","offer_id":42439802323135,"sku":"MCR929-RD","price":34.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0620\/6947\/3471\/files\/MCR929-Morphine-LikeSwimming.jpg?v=1691364497"},{"product_id":"the-night-morphine-2lp","title":"The Night","description":"\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eKEY FEATURES\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cb\u003eFirst time on vinyl\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cb\u003e2xLP pressed on 45 RPM 180-Gram Color Vinyl Variants\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTranslucent Orange Vinyl and Purple Swirl Vinyl\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cb\u003eRemastered from the original tapes by Pete Weiss\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cb\u003eHoused in a deluxe gatefold jacket and featuring art direction and design by Darryl Norsen 20-page booklet featuring lyrics, unseen photos, ephemera, and artwork by Mark Sandman, along with new liner notes by Ryan H. Walsh\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eRELEASE DESCRIPTION\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/clk0lwQQN-M\" height=\"315\" width=\"560\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eModern Classic Recordings\u003c\/strong\u003e, an imprint of Light in the Attic Records, proudly announces the deluxe vinyl reissues of Morphine’s final two studio albums: \"Like Swimming\" (1997) and \"The Night\" (2000), marking the very first availability of both titles on wax.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach album has been lovingly remastered by Pete Weiss at Boston’s Jade Cow Music, with lacquers cut by John Golden. Both titles were pressed at Austin, TX’s Gold Rush Vinyl and are each available in two colorways. The 1xLP \"Like Swimming\" (which features such favorites as “Early to Bed,” “French Fries with Pepper,” and “Eleven O’Clock”) can be found on opaque blue or translucent red wax, while the 2xLP, 45-RPM edition of \"The Night\" (featuring “Rope on Fire,” “Top Floor, Bottom Buzzer,” and “The Night,”) is available on orange translucent or purplish hue vinyl.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRounding out each package is a 20-page booklet, featuring rare and never-before-seen images from the band’s archives, including photos by Lana Z. Caplan and Danny Clinch, artifacts from Morphine’s career, and unseen art by the band’s late frontman, Mark Sandman. A major highlight of both packages is the insightful new liner notes by Ryan H. Walsh—a Boston-based journalist, musician, visual artist, and author of the acclaimed 2018 book \"Astral Weeks: A Secret History of 1968\". Walsh’s notes include a handful of new interviews detailing the band’s career, including one of the final interviews with Morphine drummer Billy Conway, who played drums in Sandman’s previous band, Treat Her Right. Both albums are housed in deluxe gatefold jackets, featuring gorgeous art direction and design by Darryl Norsen at D. Norsen Design, also of Boston.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDedicated to the memories of Sandman and late drummer Billy Conway, both albums were produced with the full support of Morphine’s surviving members (drummer Jerome Deupree and saxophonist Dana Colley), as well as the band’s friends, family members, and collaborators—many of whom shared their memories with Walsh.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Like Swimming\" and \"The Night\" follow Modern Classic Recordings’ acclaimed vinyl reissue of Morphine’s sophomore album, \"Cure For Pain\", first reissued on LP in 2011.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInspired by a map of Morphine’s Cambridge included in the liner notes to The Night, Ryan H. Walsh will be leading a walking tour on September 24, 2023 (Mark Sandman’s birthday) for twenty-five “Lucky” fans. The tour will start at the former location of Hi-n-Dry studio (Mark’s loft) and include an intimate concert by Vapors of Morphine upstairs at the Middle East. There will also be a vinyl signing with original band members Dana Colley and Jerome Deupree at Cheapo Records after the show. Press are invited to cover the event. More details and tickets available \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/events.please.co\/products\/morphine-walking-tour-experience\"\u003ehere\u003c\/a\u003e on Thursday August 9.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMORE ABOUT MORPHINE AND \"The Night\":\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFormed in 1989, Morphine quickly gained a name for themselves in Boston’s underground scene, thanks to their unconventional instrumentation, their clever, offbeat lyricism, and their utterly unique sound. Named for Morpheus, the Greek God of Dreams, the trio (singer, songwriter, and bassist Mark Sandman, saxophonist Dana Colley, and drummer Jerome Deupree) delivered a mesmerizing blend of tonalities that were moody, yet seductive: Sandman’s intriguing baritone vocals and a two-string slide bass guitar (initially outfitted with just one string), Colley’s baritone sax (he was known to play two horns at the same time), and the vibrant percussion of original drummer Deupree and then Billy Conway, who frequently stepped in as drummer. When it came to classifying Morphine’s music, critics were at a loss. Was it jazz? Blues? Alt-rock? Beat poetry? To avoid the inevitable pigeonholing, Sandman coined his own genre: Low Rock.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eForming a creative partnership with producer Paul Q. Kolderie (whose credits read like a who’s who of alt-rock heroes, including Radiohead, The Lemonheads, Hole, and the Pixies), the band released their critically-acclaimed debut, \"Good\", in 1991. When they followed with 1993’s \"Cure for Pain\", their fanbase had grown exponentially, leading to tours across the US, Europe, Australia, and Japan. 1995’s Yes broke the Billboard 200—by then, the trio had scored several hits on college radio, while videos for “Thursday” (off Cure for Pain) and “Honey White” (Yes) played on MTV. At the same time, Morphine’s music was gaining further exposure through synchs in major films, including David O. Russel’s feature debut, \"Spanking the Monkey\" (1994), Beautiful Girls (1996), and the GRAMMY®-nominated soundtrack for Get Shorty (1995). Amid the ‘90s signing boom, it was only inevitable that the major labels would come calling. As the trio began work on their fourth studio album, they received an enticing offer from the newly-founded Dreamworks Records. But signing with the LA-based label would be both a blessing and a curse—particularly for Morphine’s supremely independent frontman.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn his liner notes for \"Like Swimming\", Ryan H. Walsh suggests that after years of uncertainties, the band’s newfound sense of security carried over into their songwriting.“ \"Like Swimming\" is an album about getting into the flow of things finally going your way, about comfortably making use of your talents and doing it all with confidence, grace, and style,” he writes. That air of lightness marked a stylistic departure for the trio and can be heard throughout the album.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn his notes for the band’s fifth and final studio album, \"The Night\", Walsh writes, “Sandman was determined to prove [the critics] all wrong. He was also hell-bent on turning in an album…which stayed true to his artistic vision but also sold plenty of records.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith anxieties rising, the trio entered the studio with Kolderie and his producing partner, Sean Slade, as well as with assistant engineer Matthew Ellard. But the mood became increasingly tense—particularly between Sandman and Kolderie. Eventually, as things deteriorated, Sandman took over as producer, setting up shop in his loft, with Ellard at the controls. In addition to the changes behind the console, sessions for \"The Night\" were markedly different. Firstly, both Deupree and Conway took part in the recordings, effectively making the trio a quartet. Additionally, the band was joined by an array of guest artists, including the celebrated keyboardist, John Medeski, and a string section, who added lush textures throughout the album.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe writing and recording process was also new for Morphine. For previous albums, the trio was largely familiar with the songs that they would be recording, having performed them ahead of time during shows. Whereas sessions for \"The Night\", recalls Deupree, were “just jamming around…ideas. Mark might have had a sketch of a song, and we would come up with an arrangement and then play it forever…. Then Mark would go back through the tape and find the section that he liked the best and build on top of that.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWalsh expounds that this is why tracks like “‘A Good Woman Is Hard to Find’ fades in and out, as if it had been going on long before what you hear and that it continued long after the track ended (because it did!).” He continues, “Deupree recounts one session where he began warming up with a spontaneous drum pattern, soon joined by Billy. Sandman came running from the other side of the loft, hit record, and began playing bass… That moment became track two on the record, ‘So Many Ways.’”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAmong the other songs on \"The Night\" is the Boston-centric “Top Floor, Bottom Buzzer,” featuring an organ cameo by Medeski (who also lends his talents to the menacing “I’m Yours, You’re Mine”). In the upbeat, soulful track, Sandman describes an evening out at a friend’s house party. The enigmatic, Middle Eastern-inspired “Rope on Fire,” meanwhile, features a striking performance on the oud by Brahim Fribgane and accompaniment by cellist Jane Scarpantoni, violist Joseph Kessler, and double bassist Mike Rivard. Scarpantoni, who has appeared on albums by Lou Reed, Beastie Boys, and R.E.M., among many others, also joins the band on the opening title track, which Walsh proclaims to be “among the very best, hauntingly beautiful songs the band ever produced.” Strings also bolster the closing track, “Take Me with You,” a song that feels particularly poignant, given that Sandman would be gone by the time that \"The Night\" was released.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“From start to finish, this album would be Mark Sandman’s full creative vision realized,” writes Walsh. Colley adds, “For the first time in many years, I saw Mark satisfied again. He was like, ‘Okay, we did it. This is the record. This is it.’ He was happy with the results.” After Sandman mixed the album, Morphine flew to Europe for a two-week tour. On July 3, 1999, during a concert at the Giardini del Principe in Palestrina, Italy, Sandman collapsed on stage, suffering a heart attack. Hours later, the 46-year-old musician was declared dead.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"The Night\" was released months later, on February 1, 2000. In a sad twist of irony, the album was met with broad critical acclaim—something that Sandman had worked so tirelessly for during his life. Outlets like \"Alternative Press\", \"Spin\", and \"Rolling Stone\" all sang its praises, with the latter calling \"The Night\" Morphine’s “most painstakingly layered and ambitious album.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo support the record and pay tribute to their late bandmate, Colley, Conway, and a variety of Sandman’s collaborators and friends toured as Orchestra Morphine. Nine years later, Colley, Deupree, and bassist\/vocalist Jeremy Lyons formed \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.vaporsofmorphine.com\/\" title=\"Vapors of Morphine\"\u003eVapors of Morphine\u003c\/a\u003e. While Deupree retired in 2019 (replaced by drummer Tom Arey), in addition to playing their own material, the group continues to perform Morphine songs through regular concerts and recordings, including a show upstairs at the Middle East Club in Cambridge, Massachusetts on September 24, 2023 to celebrate the release of the vinyl on Mark Sandman’s birthday.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMeanwhile, Sandman’s legacy lives on through Morphine’s music and the many artists the band has influenced and inspired along the way. Fans can visit the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/morphineband.com\/\" title=\"Morphine Loft\"\u003eMorphine Loft\u003c\/a\u003e, a virtual space celebrating Mark’s life, writing, art, and music curated from his archives, with exhibitions on Like Swimming, The Night, and Cure For Pain’s 30th Anniversary to come this fall. The site also has a forum where fans can share their own memorabilia and contribute thoughts on what makes Mark and Morphine so unique. Those who want to visit the many landmarks associated with the band, including the building where The Night was recorded and Mark Sandman Square just outside of the famed Middle East venue where Morphine played its first shows, can use Morphine’s map of Cambridge, MA included in the liner notes for The Night.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTRACKLIST \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Night\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSo Many Ways\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSouvenir\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTop Floor Bottom Buzzer\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLike A Mirror\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGood Woman\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRope On Fire\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eI'm Yours\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Way We Met\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSlow Numbers\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTake Me With You\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eLISTEN\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eAvailable on Desktop \u0026amp; Mobile\u003c\/em\u003e\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" height=\"352\" width=\"100%\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/album\/241JX9iRn1PrCTaNXO2Hjg?utm_source=generator\" style=\"border-radius: 12px;\" allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e","brand":"Morphine","offers":[{"title":"2LP \/ Orange","offer_id":42439802355903,"sku":"MCR930-OR","price":45.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"2LP \/ Iridescent Purple","offer_id":42439802388671,"sku":"MCR930-PR-SWL","price":45.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0620\/6947\/3471\/files\/MCR930-Morphine-TheNight.jpg?v=1691377690"}],"url":"https:\/\/helixsounds.com\/collections\/artist-morphine.oembed","provider":"Helix Sounds","version":"1.0","type":"link"}