MORGANTOWN — On the heels of a six-show stint at the Americana Music Festival in Nashville, country artist Sam Morrow will take the stage Sunday at 123 Pleasant Street for his first appearance in West Virginia.
“I’m gonna be pretty busy,” the Los Angeles-based musician said, via phone Tuesday, while on his way to the gathering. “We’re all excited. The band sounds good.”
That comes from the four-piece spending plenty of time playing together.
“We’ve been touring forever since it came out,” said Morrow, referencing his latest album “Concrete and Mud,” which debuted in March.
“It’s sort of a little bit unique compared to some other stuff being released,” he said.
Rolling Stone thinks so too, listing Morrow’s third effort as one of 10 New Albums to Stream Now earlier this year.
“There’s definitely a freedom on this record and that was just me doing research the last couple of years, listening to a lot of different stuff. … Kind of figuring out what I wanted my sound to be,” Morrow said.
Previously, on 2014’s “Ephemeral” and the 2015 follow-up “There Is No Map,” he went for a more subdued sound, reflective of his early years of sobriety.
These days, the 27-year-old Houston native is feeling looser and more adventurous, blending country-funk and southern rock on the album’s 10 tracks.
“I kind of reached a point in my writing where I decided to be a little less serious,” he said. “Some of the songs are more playful and poking fun at myself or writing characters who I thought I was, who I wish I was. It was the most fun I’ve ever had.”
That lightheartedness comes through on “Concrete and Mud’s” swaggering lead single, “Quick Fix” and the comical video that goes along with it.
“It’s my favorite song I’ve ever made,” he said. “I’m most proud of that. It’s indicative of what the whole record stands for and is about.”
In addition to feeling freer in his writing process, Morrow said he’s also more comfortable in the studio.
“I have more knowledge about the production process,” he said. “I can translate a little better what I’m hearing in my head. That just comes from it being the third record and being more familiar with the whole recording process.”
For all three albums, Morrow has teamed with songwriting partner Eric Corne, who’s also produced each.
“We have a good working relationship, and we’re both really comfortable with one another,” Morrow said. “I plan to make the next one with him too. It’s a relationship that’s still forming and growing.”
And critics have taken note. In addition to Rolling Stone, “Concrete and Mud” has caught the eye of American Songwriter, Washington Post and Wide Open Country.
“It’s definitely exciting,” Morrow said. “It’s always nice to get some accolades, and people appreciating what you’re doing and stuff like that. But it’s not everything. Rolling Stone doesn’t buy my records. The fans do.
“I feel like shaking hands with people after the show, selling merch, that’s where the lasting relationships happen.”
And, Morrow is quick to point out, those relationships and his time on stage are what it’s about for him.
“I get a lot of joy out of that,” he said. “I like touring. I just like meeting people and playing music for them. I’ll keep doing that until I get tired of it. … I’ll just keep grinding it out and hope that my career keeps going up and getting bigger, that’s all I can hope for.”
- Sam Morrow will play Sunday at 123 Pleasant Street with Nat Frederick and Cody Clayton Eagle. Tickets cost $10 in advance and $12 day-of for the 18 and older show. Doors open at 7 p.m. Info: 123pleasantstreet.com.
