CD Review: The Morakestra – Witness To Connection

The Morakestra

Witness To Connection

Stratking
Records

By Chris
Homer

On their
sophomore album, Texas’ The
Morakestra creates a record of hook-filled rock songs built around multiple
soaring guitar riffs and the haunting vocals of Will Mora. The LP’s tracks
range from the acoustic folk sound of “Angel” to the upbeat Franz
Ferdinand-style rhythms of “Tonight,” which creates a pleasing diversity for
the listener. 

One of The
Morakestra’s biggest selling points on Witness
To Connection are the addictive guitar riffs that populate every track. The
band achieves a wide-range of guitar sounds on the album, including the
alt-country tinged melodies of “Tell You Something.” The darker, psychedelic
guitar sound on “Spacebar” is equally impressive, and the distorted soloing
near the end of the track secures its place among the album’s best.

The
Morakestra also comes through with powerful acoustic melodies on “Butterfly”
and “Angel,” building a surprising change of pace into the record.

The band’s
love for distorted sounds also helps Witness
To Connection make a strong impression. The uniquely altered key and string
parts of “Sunshine” will quickly have you intrigued to the group’s
experimentation. Likewise, the punchy rock of “Hollywood” benefits from the
heavy reverb placed on Mora’s vocals that give the song a fantastic combination
of all-cylinders-banging rock and trippy noises.

The
Morakestra also shines on “English Channel.” Here, the band starts with a
delicate melody that later builds into a dingy, heavy ending. The song shows both pop sensibility and a
unique style that belongs solely to The Morakestra.

Witness To Connection is a powerful
effort. The multiple guitar hooks of every song give the album a pop-edge that
makes it quickly enjoyable, while the heavily distorted sounds keep it sounding
fresh.