Fresh out of high school, T. Hardy Morris caught his first show at the historic Georgia Theater in Athens. “A lot of southern artists who might not feel quite right in their hometowns migrate to Athens. Drawn here by the sound of a weird Southern heart, I guess,” Morris said. “I knew I had to live there.” At its heart, Morris’ third solo-record, “Dude, The Obscure,” released via the New West Records imprint Normaltown Records, captures the Athens songwriter contemplating the paradox of everyday life. In captivating songs, Morris sheds the traps of ambition and nostalgia and uncovers the strange satisfaction of living in the moment. On Dude, The Obscure, Morris deftly side-steps the nostalgic, storytelling perspective in his adored solo-debut, Audition Tapes, a collection of songs inspired by defining moments growing up on the edge as America’s modern opioid epidemic struck the rural South.
T. Hardy Morris
