Description
One of the most unique, original and unusual rock bands to burst onto the alternative scene in the 90s, Morphine was originally formed by vocalist/bassist Mark Sandman, saxophonist Dana Colley and drummer Jerome Deupree (later replaced by Billy Conway) in Cambridge, Mass in 1989. They expertly combined blues, jazz and rock elements into a very distinct style, anchored by Sandman’s deep, crooning, beat-style vocals. Rather than having an electric guitar as the focal point like most rock bands, the trio’s sound was built around Sandman’s two-string electric bass (often deployed with a slide) and Colley’s growling, baritone sax which was dubbed as “low-rock.” The band enjoyed critical acclaim but saw mixed results commercially. They did enjoy higher profile success overseas, especially in Belgium, Portugal France and Australia where they were featured on music television programming frequently and filled much larger venues. After five studio albums and extensive touring, Morphine disbanded after Mark tragically died of a heart attack performing on stage at the Giardini del Principe in Palestrina, Italy. Surviving members have soldiered on in various incarnations, the most recent being the Vapors of Morphine that will be on tour through the summer of 2017. “Cure For Pain” is the band’s second album, released on Rykodisc on September 14, 1993. Jerome Deupree, the band’s original drummer, quit due to health problems during the recording of the album and was replaced by Billy Conway. The tracks, “Sheila,” and “In Spite Of Me,” were prominently featured on the soundtrack of the 1994 indie film, Spanking The Monkey. The video for “Thursday,” also appeared on an episode of Beavis and Butthead. The track, “Buena,” appears in the first season of the Sopranos and in the Daria episode “The Teachings Of Don Jake.” In 2014, the album placed eighth on the Alternative Nation site’s “Top 10 Underrated ‘90s Alternative Rock Albums” list. As of 1995, the album has sold over 100k copies in the US and over 300k worldwide. As of 2017 combined sales of Cure For Pain and Yes were almost 700k in the US. ROG is reissuing Cure For Pain as the last Ryko expanded Morphine studio album to get the original remaster treatment plus bonus tracks.
