Cory Morrow,
Nothing Left to Hide



Label: Write-On Records

(4 out of 5)

Cory Morrow has seen his share of highs and lows. He is one of the country's top-grossing independent artists and has seen his three most recent albums appear on Billboard charts. Yet through years of playing the Texas music circuit he'd earned something of a bad-boy reputation. And that reputation caught up with him in January 2005, when he was arrested in Austin for DWI and cocaine possession.

Morrow's rollercoaster existence fuels Nothing Left to Hide—a musically interesting and lyrically fascinating look at an artist coming to terms with his past.

Perhaps no lyrics reflect this newfound emotional maturity better than those of "Nothing Left to Hide":

I got a demon inside me
And he won't let me stand still ...
Somewhere down the line
I lost my way
And hurt my pride
Won't be long now
Won't be nothing left to hide

"Choices" mines similarly introspective territory (I'm making choices / Finding a little at a time / The choice was always mine), as does "Best Low" (You thought I was drunk / The day I met you / I was high).

The album ends with "Carnival Ride," a stunning departure from the country-rock that dominates Nothing Left to Hide. Ethereal, almost minimalist blues instrumentation accompanies Morrow's world-weary voice in a song with powerful crossover appeal.

Such soul-searching lyrics don't mean the songs are heavy. You can easily listen to the album without Morrow's problems ever crossing your mind. The debut single "Beat of Your Heart," co-written with Patrick Davis (Chances Are), features a galloping bass line and an upbeat look at love, with nary a reference to the recent tumult.

And to be sure, most listeners probably know nothing of his arrest, nor will they care—nor should they. Yet Morrow's triumph over his troubled past clearly drives Nothing Left to Hide.

It's unfortunate he had to put himself, his friends, and his family through so many trying times. But he is to be commended for publicly acknowledging his mistakes through his music. He didn't have to do it, but he chose to make this his most personal album to date.

Whether you care about the back story or not, you surely will appreciate the fact that Nothing Left to Hide is a musically strong and lyrically captivating offering from one of our most successful homegrown singer/songwriters.

Buy Nothing Left to Hide from Lone Star Music for only $15.99.

August 24, 2005