When
Skye/Ross came out in 2016, I was dead chuffed. 2/3s of Morcheeba. The real Morcheeba. Skye Edwards Morcheeba.
When their latest
Blaze Away came out in June of last year, I was beyond elated. Recently the tides of time have swept me through the sea-beds of trip-hop once more.
So I decided to do up some Cheeba here.
The Brothers Godfrey & Lady Skye launched "Trigger Hippie" in 1995 & Morcheeba was birthed. It was upward sailing (listen to the autobiographic "We Fell Down" & I'll guarantee you'll be hooked on this great Rock 'n' Roll saga) until 2003. But that year the GBs dismissed longtime vocalist Skye Edwards. The Godfrey brothers ran through two more singers (not to Morcheeba fan's liking, however) before producing an album of all guests vocalists. They finally asked Edwards to return in 2010.
That year they released
Blood like Lemonade with only Ms. Skye on vocals. It was a spectacular reunion & a tremendous album. Once more it's been an uphill ride, not without a few bumps, emotionally taxing for all concerned. Paul & Ross had not been getting on musically or personally for quite some time. Shortly after the release of the
Head Up High album in 2013, Paul decided he was leaving the band. Because of the internal tensions,
HUH was not the success that
Lemonade had been. It was a rough journey at best, the original trio's true swansong. In 2014 Paul Godfrey left the band.
Ross & Skye announced a new project in 2016 named Skye ][ Ross. The band started as just an acoustic duo but were soon joined by Edward's son Jaega on drums, her husband Steve Gordon on bass & Godfrey's wife Amanda Zamolo providing backing vocals. This band is now the core of Morcheeba v4.0. Edwards took responsibility for the lyrics which had been Paul's in Morcheeba. Skye had been writing her own lyrics on her four solo releases (
Back to Now being a jewel in Skye's crown) after leaving Morcheeba in 2003.
Ross & Skye then went on to release
Blaze Away under the old Morcheeba moniker in 2018.
I have mainly skipped most songs from 2003s
Parts of the Process, a "best of" released as Skye departed. I did include a version of "Trigger Hippie", as it was their first & "World Looking In" (a fave of mine, "Otherwise"...). I also omitted song from
The Antidote &
Dive Deep as they were made sans Skye, filling the void. I have included numerous tracks from Skye's solo releases as well as
Skye][ Ross (if "All My Days" & "How to Fly" aren't "classic" Morcheeba tracks, I'll eat my shorts). 2018 saw the return of Morcheeba to their former glory in the form of
Blaze Away.
What a long strange but vastly worthwhile trip it's been, even though...
What's wrong with me?
Look to the sky, but watch out for trigger hippies...
Morecheeba & More: Skye; Ross; & Paul - The Morcheeba Project 2xCD,
NØ Comps, 2019.
CD1 -
Trigger Hippie (Glide Star mix) - Morcheeba
Almost Killed Me - Skye
Love Dub - M
I Believ - S
How to Fly - Skye & Ross
Slow Down - M
Clock to Stop - S
Hypnotized - M
We Fall Down - S
Small Town - M
Beat on the Drum - M
Summertime (c12 mix)
Feet First - S&R
Love Show - S
Howling - M
Love is Rare - M
Say Amen - S
World Looking In - M
CD2 -
Little Bit Lost - Skye
Crimson - Morcheeba
Public Displays of Affection - M
All My Days - Skye & Ross
Give In - S
Set Your Sails - M
Friction - M
Easier Said than Done - M
Fragments of Freedom - M
What's Wrong with Me? - S
Recipe for Disaster - M
Let It Go - M
Otherwise (Radio edit) - M
Storm - S
Light of Gold - S&R
Sweet L.A. - M
Even Though - M
Every Little Lie - S
Enjoy,
NØ