Award-winning Americana collective Morganway continue their upward trajectory with latest single, ‘World Stopped Running’, ahead of their UK headline tour this spring and forthcoming new album Back To Zero out May 5th.
 
Placing themselves in a different world from previous release ‘Wait For Me’, which showcased the band’s darker, rockier influence, ‘World Stopped Running’ was written during lockdown on a retro synthesiser and features bassist Callum Morgan on lead vocals.
 
“I was cooped up at home and playing around with synth patterns,” Callum recalls. “I can’t play the keyboard well at all, so when I started this riff it was pretty primitive, but something about it stuck. I combined it with a more folky, protest song I was working on and the riff became the chant the song is built around.”
 
Still unable to perform together, Callum sent a demo of the song to the band. Upon hearing, there was initially some resistance.
 
“I admit when I first heard the tune it was a dark time and I was jarred by its somewhat childish frivolity,” says Nicole J Terry, who plays fiddle in Morganway. “I have come to see it more as an act of rebellion at the situation that created it – why not just sing your heart out with joy if that’s all you can do? It shows the importance of supporting the visions of your bandmates. Unity wins.”
 
Despite the underlying fears of the time, it was also unity that inspired the song, sparked by a conversation with a friend, who suggested Callum should write a hopeful song about the future.
 
“That message fitted with the upbeat, major key synth riff, and even though there is a slight protest element to the lyrics, they are above all a celebration” continues Callum. “‘World Stopped Running’ as a phrase may sound quite literal regarding lockdown, but I think it’s more about facing something together, like the future, like change. You’re not running away anymore.”
 
Morganway are the BCMA’s Group of the Year for the second year running. A Norfolk/Cambridge-based six piece founded by twins Callum (lead vocals, bass) and Kieran Morgan (lead guitar, vocals),  SJ Mortimer (lead vocals, guitar), Matt Brocklehurst (keyboard, vocals), Nicole J Terry (fiddle, vocals) and Ed Bullinger (drums, vocals) complete the lineup.
 
‘World Stopped Running’ is available on all major streaming platforms.  The single features on Morganway’s second album Back To Zero, which will be released Friday 5th May.