Ed O’Brien – ‘Blue Morpho’ album review: Not such a secret weapon now
It’s easy to make presumptions about how the dynamic within Radiohead has always worked, and it tends to be the case that Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood are frequently interpreted as being the two most essential components to the band’s success. Blue Morpho is the sort of record that makes you question that hierarchy.
The Skinny: Having been a member of the iconic Oxfordshire art rockers since 1985, when they first formed as On A Friday, it would be unreasonable to think that Ed O’Brien has simply coasted through the process of creating nine albums and bowing down to every instruction that other bands give him. There’s every chance that, despite not appearing to be the most frequent contributor, he would have learned a thing or two in his 40+ years in the band about how to pen a song of his own.
The thing is, asserting that O’Brien is simply an accessory to the genius of the other members is frankly untrue, and while Yorke might be the more prolific and celebrated songsmith, many of the band’s songs wouldn’t sound the same without O’Brien’s touches, especially from an atmospheric perspective. When you consider just how important the environments of some of their most expansive work can be, then it becomes incredibly apparent that the guitarist is not just important, but essential.
But Blue Morpho isn’t a Radiohead album, and while it’s hard to separate O’Brien from what he’s best known for having made throughout his career, his second album stands tall on its own without there being any need for lazily drawn comparisons. Granted, it probably couldn’t have ever come to exist without being informed by his involvement in their records, but with his vast array of talents now front and centre, O’Brien successfully shifts through a variety of moods and textures over the course of seven expansive songs in ways that he would have previously restrained himself from exploring.
Compositionally, there are moments where serene string arrangements sweep across delicately crafted acoustic guitars, either swelling into majestic life-affirming moments or melancholic moments of reflection. After having waited three and a half decades to commit the ideas heard on his 2020 solo debut, Earth, finding himself enter a dark period of regret for having allowed his own creative flair stagnate for so long and then be unable to celebrate it as a result of the pandemic, Blue Morpho is clearly the sound of a man invigorated by the urgency of needing to get ideas down spontaneously rather than letting them brew.
At times, the lyrics can find themselves reduced in prominence when compared to how inspired the instrumentals are, which is a shame considering the emotional turmoil O’Brien overcame to be able to pour himself into this project. There appears to be a slight discomfort in asserting himself as the main voice, something that has never been required of him in the past, but those that can be heard definitely stand out as more than just a sideman stepping out.
O’Brien isn’t about to make a gigantic impression on the world of music with Blue Morpho; he’s already done plenty of that. What he is doing is expressing himself in a manner unlike anything else he’s ever done, and to draw yourself away from what people might expect you to bring to the table and freely experiment on untrodden terrain is a brave thing to do when you’ve got 40 years of legacy behind you. To do it with this much confidence is something else.
Standout Track: ‘Obrigado’
The Verdict: For someone who has so often been referred to as the secret weapon in his band, but without it always being possible for less invested listeners to put a finger on why, Blue Morpho expertly demonstrates everything that O’Brien has always been able to offer in abundance.
Release Date: May 22nd, 2025 | Producer: Paul Epworth | Label: Transgressive
Never Miss A Beat
The Far Out New Music Newsletter
All the latest New Music from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.