Pete Yorn is one of the best songwriters I have ever heard; the 14 songs on his debut album musicforthemorningafter are some of the best-constructed pieces of music you’ll ever have the pleasure of listening to. Yorn combines a number of guitars, synths, drums and other instruments to create layers of sound supported by catchy melodies that are full of energy and feeling. The opening track (and first single) “Life On A Chain” starts with a crackling, sounds-like-it’s-being-played-on-a-turntable acoustic guitar intro, kicks in with the drums and the electric guitars 30 seconds in, then ups the tempo again with some nice bass work after another 30 seconds. The song’s complexity and tempo keep it charging forward, kept on track by the crisp percussion. Whenever I hear the song, I wish I could play an instrument, because I want to get in on the fun – as it is I just settle for attracting stares on the bus with my not-quite-in-tune air guitar and air drum playing.
“Life On A Chain” is the best song on the album – hell, it might be the best song of the year, although R.E.M.’s “The Lifting” would give it a run for the money – but this album is not a one-hit wonder. “For Nancy (‘Cos It Already Is)”, “Murray” and “Closet” are very satisfying up-tempo rock/pop songs with many of the same strengths as “Life”. On slower tracks like “Just Another” and “Lose You” the music amplifies and echoes the pessimism and melancholy of Yorn’s lyrics. The guitars on “Sense” wrap around each other to create a palpable sense of yearning; Yorn’s downcast, almost-mumbling vocals are at their best on this song. “On Your Side” is a lush, serene song that uses strings, synths and acoustic guitar to create a dream-like effect; I may wake up before dawn some time soon because this is the kind of song that was made to be heard while watching a sunrise.
The lyrics on musicforthemorningafter are a bit incomprehensible – they’re fragments of meaning, the kind of poetry that would either occupy an advanced high school lit class for a week or have everyone throwing up their hands in frustration. Since the lyrics don’t convey a straightforward narrative or even a single clear emotional theme, the bits and pieces blend in with the music, which creates a satisfying listening experience that also lets the listener project specific meanings onto the songs. Yorn also constructs the lyrics in such a way that key phrases are repeated throughout the song, with a word or two changed at the end to suggest a shift in perspective or meaning. It’s an effective technique, and one that makes the lyric sheet 
worth reading.
musicforthemorningafter ranks with R.E.M.’s Automatic For The People, dada’s Puzzle and Matthew Sweet’s Girlfriend as a top-notch modern rock album that’s well worth a listen, or five, or more…
- Life on a Chain (3:45)
- Strange Condition (3:57)
- Just Another (3:14)
- Black (4:11)
- Lose You (4:35)
- For Nancy (‘Cos It Already Is) (3:30)
- Murray (3:45)
- June (2:34)
- Sense (3:53)
- Closet (3:03)
- On Your Side (5:02)
- Sleep Better (4:28)
- EZ (4:41)
- Simonize (2:54)
Released by: Sony
Release date: 2001
