Winter Hours, Wait Till The Morning (1985/1986)

Of all the jangly mid-80s college radio bands, Winter Hours were one of my favorites, and sadly one of the most tragic.  While some (i.e. R.E.M.) made it big, and a few continued to release great if overlooked albums (i.e. the Connells), Winter Hours, hailing from the Northeast rather than the South, never got the recognition they deserved, and all their work is long out of print. Vocalist Joe Marques died young, and guitarist Michael Carlucci passed away a few years ago as well.

But their music is worth checking out.  The band's music, like much of the genre, blends Byrds-like guitar jangle with Americana, quiet melodicism, and a touch of melancholy.  They are distinguished by Marques' striking vocals, which seem particularly heartfelt and affecting.  But ultimately it comes down to a number of really great songs, spread over one early LP and a few EPs.  I managed to snag a CD copy of Wait Till The Morning back when it was in print; it combines a 1986 EP of the same name with the 1985 Churches EP.  The title track is the standout, pure pop perfection, though the moody "Hyacinth Girl" and lovely "Island of Jewels" are no less memorable.

While you can't buy the album (unless you hunt down used copies somewhere) or stream it from Spotify, it's been ripped to YouTube, so you can check it out there.  They went on to release one final album before breaking up, 1989's self-titled Winter Hours, which fortunately is available on Spotify; I don't think it's as strong as their earlier work, but it's nice enough and worth a listen.

Here's the "Wait Till The Morning" video:
Here's a live take on "Hyacinth Girl" (needs a volume boost):
Here's an audio rip of the entire CD:
Guitarist Bob Perry of the band continues to keep the flame alive, periodically performing Winter Hours songs; here's his recent spin on "Island of Jewels":
As mentioned, the album isn't streamed on Spotify, but here's their 1989 album:
Also, here's a decent tribute album, with various indie rockers covering Winter Hours:

Comments

  1. When I lived in Baltimore in the 80s, WHFS Radio in nearby Annapolis played cuts from the Winter Hours album and I quickly tracked it down. I was playing it today and decided if there was any info on the band. Was surprised to find they made several cds. Have always loved their sound. Now I know to begin searching for their other releases. If you feel the other releases are better than Winter Hours, must be some good stuff awaiting. I always felt bad the band made such a great largely unheard album and disappeared. Will have the see if I can bring up more if your musings. Thanks!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glad to see you stumbled across this. Hope you've turned up some of WH's earlier stuff, truly remarkable, and a damn shame it's all out of print.

      Delete
    2. The vinyl’s still cheap for now, but the CD is fabulously rare. I own my orig. copy only!

      Delete
    3. The vinyl’s still cheap for now, but the CD is fabulously rare. I own my orig. copy only!

      Delete
    4. It's a damn shame it's so hard to come by. And their Leaving Time album never got a legit CD release. Given the passing of half the band, I assume that will never change, so I end up sharing what I have with people discovering their music.

      Delete
  2. Great band! Got lots of play on WHFS and WCVT back in the day. I had Wait Till The Morning original EP on vinyl but my sister got rid of it years ago. I seem to recall the sleeve having lyrics. I have been looking for lyrics for the title track on and off but don't think Musixmatch has them quite right. Can anyone confirm published lyrics existed either on the EP or LP? I have the CD which doesn't include lyrics. Good memories. Thanks for the post JWG

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I heard Hyacinth Girl on WHFS while at the University of Maryland in the 80s and tracked down the album and then the CD. One of my favorites of all time and I really wish I had Leaving Time on CD!

      Delete
    2. I ended up ripping all my vinyl to CD... gave it a touch of remastering, and it sounds pretty great.

      Delete
  3. Winter Hours was a wonderful group. Their haunting melodies with brilliant lyrics invoked the innocence of the early 1980's. The final album cover ( chrysalis records) was taken in Sally Grossmans (Albert Grossman) home.
    Andy Kipnes AAM/Link

    ReplyDelete
  4. HFS brought me to them as well, love the Wait ep, playing it now!

    ReplyDelete
  5. My wife of 30+ years fell in love to them and they will forever hold a special almost sacred place in my heart. We exchanged tapes when we first met, she shared Drivn’ Cryin’ and I gave her Winter Hours. It’s corny stuff but will forever hold a very dear place in my heart. What a very unappreciated and talented band.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment