Morella's Forest

    Morella's Forest

    Dayton, Ohio11 reviews across 4 releases

    dream popindie popindie rockshoegaze
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    Morella's Forest was a Dayton, Ohio band formed in 1992. Its early music combined shoegazing haze with simple pop melodies, placing Sydney Rentz's soft vocals behind distorted guitars and droning rhythms. The 1995 debut Super Deluxe established the approach, though its quieter passages carried more melodic force than its louder ones. Ultraphonic Hiss sharpened the band's delivery in 1996: the guitars gained depth while the noise remained, and Rentz's voice became easier to understand. The songs also hid serious or devotional ideas beneath candy-colored titles such as "Pastel Straws" and "Silver Syrup." By From Dayton With Love in 1998, Morella's Forest had expanded the guitar sound with keyboards, strings and space-age effects. The record remained a four-piece performance rather than an electronic turn, and its pop writing was more accessible than the debut.

    After bassist Sean McCorkle and drummer Nate McCorkle left following the 1998 release, Nate joined Johnny Q. Public and the band went through further drummer changes. Morella's Forest then spent roughly four years away from recording, returning in 2002 with Jesse Sprinkle on drums and Joel Votaw on bass. The new lineup released Tiny Lights of Heaven through Big Beef Records and Endearing Records, while Shawn Johnson and Sprinkle handled production. Its lighter guitars and jangling pop arrangements marked a clear break from the earlier fuzz, with Rentz's vocals placed prominently in the mix. The band played occasional shows, including appearances at Cornerstone, but did not generally tour. Morella's Forest ended in 2002.

    4 releases reviewed