James Morrison plays the TF Royal TheatreAS the title of James Morrisons third album suggests, The Awakening is the sound of an artist coming of age.

He has become a father and has lost his own father after the latters long battle with alcoholism and depression.

At the same time, 26-year-old Morrison has matured as a singer, songwriter and musician, enabling him to channel all of that emotion into his most accomplished collection of songs yet.

My first two albums felt like practice shots, he says, and now Ive graduated. In many ways this feels like my first proper album.

Those first two albums  Undiscovered (2006) and Songs for You, Truths for Me (2008)  proved hugely successful in the sales charts, shifting a combined total of 4.5 million copies and yielding an astonishing 10 singles, including You Give Me Something, Wonderful World, The Pieces Dont Fit Anymore and the global smash Broken Strings, which features Nelly Furtado. Those practice shots turned Morrison into an international star.

He has sold out arena tours, gigged coast-to-coast in America as well as in Australia, Japan and across Europe, has performed on Jimmy Kimmels and Jay Lenos TV shows in the States, and has sung in front of tens of thousands at Londons Hyde Park supporting both Bruce Springsteen and Stevie Wonder.

Now, west of Ireland fans will get to see him locally with the announcement of a gig a the TF Royal Theatre in Castlebar on August 22, tickets (€39 standing, €44 seated) for which are on sale now.

 

Contemporary

The Awakening is a warm, live-sounding collection of classic but contemporary folk-soul songs.

There are musical similarities with Morrisons debut, but with added panache and self-belief. There are soaring strings, uplifting harmonies, soulful ballads and, in Slave To The Music, a hand-clapping dancefloor groover  a new string to his bow.

There are nods to Motown, gospel, country and a hint of Latin. Technically, Morrison remains one of the finest white soul singers, equal parts Stevie Wonder and Paul Young.

Said Morrison about The Awakening: Working with Bernard Butler on this album has brought a whole new dimension to the songs. For me, this album combines influences stemming from my deep love for classic soul  Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Otis Redding   with a sound that is contemporary.

Tickets for his TF Royal Theatre gig are available from the theatres box office on 0818 300 000 or (094) 9023111 and also from www.royaltheatre.ie or www.ticketmaster.ie.