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A couple years back — around the time he was about to embark on tour as lead guitarist for alt-country icons Freakwater — Morgan Geer debuted an original song that’s been haunting us here at That Much Further West Podcast ever since.
“Cordelia” has a melody and chorus so catchy it’ll stick in your head like a piece of gum might to your shoe. But it was the fact that Geer — the man behind one of our favorite bands, Drunken Prayer — had recently moved from Portland to the greener pastures of Asheville, N.C. that really made the song hit home.
It’s all come full circle since. Geer recently visited Portland and played a series of shows ahead of the release of his brand-new record with Drunken Prayer, titled Cordelia Elsewhere, due out this Friday on Deer Lodge Records. We caught up with Morgan to talk about the nice response the new record is receiving and our continuing fascination with the title cut.
“Cordelia” is a song about the “scooping out of the middle class,” as Geer puts it, a state of affairs that has become all too common in trendy towns where gentrification is driving up prices on everything from rent to food to real estate.
Geer also talks about how the current state of American politics creeped in as an overarching theme for the new record. He speaks to how divided the nation has become, and about how so many Americans are trapped in costly living situations they can’t get out of.
As for the record, American Standard Time put it this way: “Beware Cordelia Elsewhere. Here Drunken Prayer is exploring pathos with a variety of American sounds. Whistling past the graveyard with garage rock, country, soul, and a power pop vibe that buoys listeners in its murk. Here is the best thing Drunken Prayer has ever done. Emotional work songs for dark days. Songs to sing along to as you dig your own grave.”
In our interview, Geer also shares his plans for the rest of the year, which include a summer trip back to the west coast for a series of shows, including an appearance at this year’s Wildwood MusicFest & Campout in July.
And all along the way we play new cuts from the record. So kick back and have a listen and learn more about what makes this killer singer-songwriter tick and why you won’t want to miss his next performance when he visits a town near you soon.
Enjoy! Here’s a playlist of songs included:
Into The Water
It Happens All The Time
Cordelia
Science
Rubble & Dust