Kahn Morbee, frontman of The Parlotones, ventures into new territory as he releases his first solo album. Called Milk, it is possibly the most intimate and personal work of his career. He gave Therese Owen an exclusive listening session.
Kahn Morbee has honest blue eyes, eyes that cannot hide his intense, emotional soul. The lead singer of The Parlotones, one of South Africa’s most successful bands, has also managed to contain his ego and not become big-headed.
He knows that he has no choice but to be a musician. It is his vocation. But unlike Generations actors, he does not think he is extra- special because of his talent.
This is reflected in a song on his debut solo album, Milk. The song is called Rocking Chair and is weaved around clever lyrics. There is a mocking bird who mocks his love of song, a humming bird humming that “music is my drug”, a blue bird “reflecting my current mood”. He then becomes optimistic with the line “a pelican, a flamingo discovering that life could be good on my rocking chair”.
“I am not really that melancholic,” he admits.
“The song just ties into the balance of me just wanting tochill and reflect on my busy life.”
Listening to the album, it reminds me of what Alice in Chains were trying to achieve on their EP called Sap (1991).
While the grunge band’s full-length albums were loaded with angst, anger and hard-core goth metal, Sap was gentle and intimate.
Milk is Morbee’s Sap.
He agrees that, indeed, lyrically the album is far more intimate than his work with The Parlotones.
“With The Parlotones, my lyrics have universal appeal. With these songs, at times I was in a dark place.”
Morbee says the reason for the solo album is simple: “I am a prolific writer and wanted another avenue to release my songs. This project gave me freedom to do what I want.
“Also, my hobby is writing songs. If I have eight hours to spare I don’t want to play golf. I want to write songs, and it doesn’t make sense releasing 40 Parlotones songs.
“My default setting is that I write catchy songs. I am more of a stickler for melody.”
He is also a stickler for poetry. One of The Parlotones’ outstanding features is their lyrics. On Morbee’s solo album the tracks are also lyrically-driven.
The first track he plays me is The Candle. I am struck by the poetry. It begins with an acoustic blues intro in the vein of Alison Krouse and Robert Plant. Then that familiar soft, precise voice comes in and takes us to familiar territory, but not.
On the track Days Like This, Morbee again treads the acoustic path, but this time he leans more towards country. Lyrically, the song is happy in love. It celebrates her beauty.
The journey of Milk was not without its drama. Morbee discovered that he had polyps on his vocal chords and had to have an operation. This is something that afflicts many vocalists.
“When I found out, I was devastated. It happened in July.
“In the beginning I felt like I always wanted to clear my throat. Basically, it’s like a pile that develops on your vocal chords. I tell people it’s from singing shit songs all those years.”
When he discovered the problem he phoned Tamara Dey who recommended the same doctor she went to for the same problem.
“The problem is that you can’t feel pain on your vocal chords,” Morbee explained.
After the surgery he was not allowed to talk for a few weeks. He recorded this weird Stephen Hawking-like message on his cellphone which he played when friends and fans approached him – “Sorry, I have had vocal surgery.”
He is back to his usual voice and says that the only side effect of the surgery is that he can’t reach the high notes that he used to.
It is not apparent on the album and, if anything, it is his voice that dominates the offering. Delusions of Grandeur has you feeling as if you are listening to an Irish hymn, it is sung so beautifully. The lyrics are bitingly ironic and his voice is carried by the viola of Brendan Jury who is also the producer of the album. The track is rich with emotionally vicious, clever lyrics.
Atlantic Magic relies more on the lyrics than the music. Again, there is a country feel with acoustic guitar and brush sticks on the drums.
Sorry If I Never has the line: “Time is lost and can never be found.”
The track Midnight Life is the most gothic song he has written in terms of the feel and sentiments expressed, and therefore is my favourite. The lyrics, “Kill my fears like genocide. They don’t belong inside my mind” jump out at ya.
Milk is the result and culmination of a music career with all its ups and downs. It is an album that as an artist, Kahn Morbee, lead singer and songwriter of The Parlotones, had to release.
He will go down in history as one of South Africa’s most prolific composers and performers.
And Milk will add to this legacy.