MOROS EROS “Jealous Me Was Killed By Curiosity”
In “Pride and Joy,” MOROS EROS frontman Zach Tipton asks himself, “Where is my faith?” It’s a question that the singer puts immense thought into, considering the mere fact that every song on his band’s latest effort, the nine-track Jealous Me Was Killed By Curiosity, deals with his borderline-agnostic atheism. While Tipton has never been one to shy away from topics of faith and religion (see the many references to heaven and hell on the group’s debut), he takes the topic to an extreme level here and once again has a solid foundation of quirky, dancy post-punk backing up his words.
The album starts off with “Quit, You’re Being Thoughtless,” a steady rhythmic tune lead by the kind of guitar riffs MODEST MOUSE has perfected. Tipton’s wavering, agitated vocals sway with the lead of the guitars, offering what is probably the most agnostic of his lyrical performances. Here, he calls God an “absent God” yet declares that he himself is “the product of a weakening soul that secretly prays when no one is watching.” “On My Side” is a more cynical look at faith as he “reached out for God’s hands/ the one’s that shut [his] soul out.” From here on, things are a bit more one-sided in favor of atheism, yet it all comes with a heaping pile of questioning that would possibly resonate with a religiously-diverse listener base.
“Choices” is one of the more psychedelic tunes MOROS EROS has ever written. It has a supremely raw vibe accented by the impeccable tones of the guitars, undoubtedly due to producer Jay Clark’s touch. “Old Friend” is similar in stylistic approach to “Choices,” but here we also see how the band has come to use the keyboard in more prominent ways than in the past. The song as a whole is rather haunting as Tipton’s shouting of “old friend/ I don’t remember your name” is put in the background of the recording mix, making for an echo-like call-and-response that truly captures the eerie nature of the lyrics.
“Lows And Highs” and “Safety Net” are perhaps most like the band’s work from Devil. They’re both incredibly groove-based and, as a result, rather danceable affairs with Tipton using his signature forceful singing approach. The latter contains one of the vocalist’s more lasting lines. He says, after the song’s breakdown, “I wish I couldn’t think,” perhaps in reference to feeling drained by all of the damning thoughts he has (I can’t help but to note how much this line resembles poet John Keats’ line “Where but to think is to be full of sorrow…”). Despite the questioning thoughts presented throughout the album, Tipton seems to come to a solid conclusion in “The View From Above:” “life without meaning seems to me to be beautiful/ I’m comfortable in my own chaos.”
Provided a solid musical base that’s quite diverse and enjoyable, Zach Tipton is able to use MOROS EROS as a vehicle to distribute his thoughts. With two albums under their belts, I think it is safe to reference Tipton as much as I have here because his lyrics and vocals make the band’s music worthwhile. That said, it should be noted that the psychedelic range the band seems to be heading in is a completely welcome transition and one that should fully develop the band as a whole. All in all, Jealous Me isn’t simply composed of atheistic ramblings, it is a thought-provoking record that begs listeners to ask questions about their own existence and the meaning of their lives. Very Romantic, indeed.
Victory
