As far as major label obscurities go, Morningstar must surely rank as one of the most underground overground band of them all.
Formed in Kansas City during the early 1970s, the band worked hard and became a formidable live draw. It surprised nobody when they attracted the attention of Columbia records who signed them.
Being on a major label did not move the fortunes of Morningstar. They released two albums of quality period melodic prog/pomp rock in the late 1970s. The result: barely registering a blip on the radar in their homeland. They made a small impact in Europe where fans of this type of music started to take notice of their records and came to this style of music just as it was falling out of favour in America.
There was a time in the 1970s when the American music business was releasing an incredible volume of classy rock bands. There was a seemingly never-ending succession of groups that drank from the same golden giblet as Boston, Styx, Kansas, REO Speedwagon, and Journey. For a lot of bands, British progressive rock also played a major part in their sound. Morningstar was no exception to the rule, and they seemed to fit in well with the times.
They recorded their debut album Morningstar (1978) in Nashville. It is both a fitting period piece as well as displaying a penchant for melody, respect for classy arrangements, and impressive musicianship. As mentioned, the album made little commercial headway, but they became regarded as a band to watch. With their hard driving edge and progressive flourishes several tracks standout, such as the pounding Turn Out All the Lights, the six-minute epic Through the Night (which is a veritable stylistic cornucopia of heavy but melodious rock) and Sad Lady, a classy pomp rock prima donna blessed with layers of soaring vocals and impressive keyboards.
Their album sleeve had a style that fit well with the genre of the music they made. They indicated that this was a band that followed in the footsteps of other late seventies musical champions.
Venus (1979) was the band’s second album on the Columbia label. Recorded in Louisiana, the album built on their debut but has a slightly more mainstream approach. This is best exemplified by the epic, Foreigner-esque vibe of Never Meant To Be, the poptastic vibe of Rosie and the classical pomp rock of Let Me Dream with its majestic finale.
They also had the obligatory rock power ballad in the track Angel, which became an early and quality example of that style that would be watered down overutilised in the 1980s.
Like their debut, Venus failed to bother the charts despite the quality of their music. Still, the band’s penchant for playing in a slightly progressive pomp rock style gave them an undeniable edge, creating a small but dedicated following.
However, timing is as important as anything else when it comes to ‘making it’. Morningstar got lost in the shuffle, with so many bands competing in the same market space. Also, fashions were starting to change. Disco was going strong and punk rock had started a change in the rock ‘n’ roll landscape.
Rock artists that started their recording careers earlier in the decade (Styx, Journey, REO Speedwagon, e.g.) had started to move towards a more pop/rock sound in an effort to retain airplay. Many artists who didn’t fit into these categories were dropped by their record companies. Morningstar was no exception, and after two great albums, Columbia lost faith/patience and parted ways with the band. It turned out to be a real spring cleaning. They were just one of over 60 bands cut from the CBS/Columbia roster at the same time. Without funds to go any further, Morningstar disbanded.
Thanks to the internet, a lot of people have discovered the band in later years. Checking out albums you missed out on or never knew about has become easier than ever. Both of their 1970s albums have been re-released with bonus tracks and a lavish booklet detailing the band’s history. Morningstar is ripe for reappraisal.
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