Minneapolis native Teddy Morgan headed to Austin to play blues guitar. He caught the attention of Kim Wilson (The Fabulous Thunderbirds), who took Teddy under his wing. He recorded two blues albums for the Antone's label (1994's Ridin' In Style and 1996's Louisiana Rain) which were mostly covers, as Teddy at that time wasn't much interested in songwriting. Then Austin pal Gus Morlix introduced him to the music of Steve Earle and Lucinda Williams, and along with his mother's Dylan albums he grew up listening to, Teddy became a changed man. He began writing songs, gaining his inspiration from the deserts of the southwest, and he musically drifted off into a different direction. Not unlike Steve Earle, Teddy's music incorporates country, roots-rock, folk and his beloved blues, and he debuted his new sound on his critically acclaimed 1999 Hightone release, Lost Love and Highways. When he's not touring, he splits his time between Austin and his second adopted home, Tucson. 

Teddy Morgan returns with his sixth release, Freight. For the disc, Teddy enlists the help of players that include Johnny Hickman (Cracker), pedal steel player Eric Heywood (Son Volt), Ken Coomer (Wilco, Uncle Tupelo), Richard Medek, Atom Robinson, Steve Grams, Gary Mackender (The Carnivaleros) and Jon Penner (Junior Brown). Teddy covers a range of styles on Freight that includes quieter singer/songwriter fare (the country lament, "Searching For You," "Waiting" with it's aching steel, the outstanding country-folk "Strobe Light," the bleak, yet soulful "1000 Miles," and the tender "Middle Of The Night"). He delivers jangly roots-rock by way of the standout "Would For The Knowing," and the two songs on Freight Teddy didn't write, Willy Deville's "No Such Pain As Love" and a terrific grinding cover of Dylan's "She Belongs To Me" where Teddy duets with Johnny Hickman. He offers up a couple of fuzzed out blues-rockers with the edgy "Train" and the swampy and raw "Round Every Bend." Included on Freight are two bonus live tracks, the roots-rocker "Moon So High" and "Along The Way," a blues track with Calexico.

The theme that runs throughout the disc tying the songs together is being abandoned by a lover and trying to recover. Teddy Morgan skillfully blends country, rock and blues to create an album of edgy, dramatic tension filled songs, combining them with melodies that range from quietly pretty and reflective to frenzied, seemingly about to go out of control that effectively suit the subject matter of each song, and delivers them with soulful vocals that he uses to move between ache, losing control and everything in-between, making Freight one of the strongest roots-rock albums of the year.  

Standout tracks: "Searching For You" "Strobe Light" "Round Every Bend" "Would For The Knowing"

Last word: Strong, edgy set of roots-rock, soulful commanding vocals, outstanding musicianship. Highly recommended for fans whose allegiance falls in the 'Steve Earle' musical camp.

On the net:  www.teddymorgan.com

AnnMarie Harrington TakeCountryBack September 2003