I’ve been meaning to post something about now defunct band Morning Spy for a while now, but just haven’t had to the impetus to remind/push me.  Luckily, for all of you, I sat down with Jon Rooney, the man behind Seattle-based record label Abandoned Love (Virgin of the Birds, The Lovely Sparrows) and former frontman of the Bay Area band.  I’ll post the entire interview as we get closer to Rooney’s upcoming live performances, but for now let me introduce you to Morning Spy.

Sitting down with Rooney was a somewhat cowing experience, as I believe it always is when a interviewee is as massively knowledgeable about all forms of music as he was.  And this adoration for the craft bleeds in to the sound of Morning Spy.  You can feel the hints of ’90s indy rock (a little Pavement perhaps?) slipping about at the edges, but Morning Spy manages to pay respectful homage, while alluding direct imitation.  “Two Horses” is a personal favorite off the album for Rooney’s lightly reverb-soaked way he wraps his vocals around the opening lines, as well as the lengthy guitar solo that rides the song out.

There’s more to say about Jon and the entire Abandoned Love stable, but we’ll save that for another day.

Morning Spy - Two Horses

Abandoned Love