Morphine includes: Mark Sandman (vocals, bass); Billy Conway, Jerome Deupree (drums).

Morphine's 1992 debut, GOOD, was a pleasant break from the rock music norm, but the band improved dramatically on their original blueprint with their next release a year later, CURE FOR PAIN. For starters, there was a line-up change--original drummer Jerome Dupree was replaced by Billy Conway (a former bandmate of Morphine leader Mark Sandman's in the blues outfit Treat Her Right). But the real story here is the abundance of top-notch compositions and perfectly restrained performances, adding up to arguably Morphine's finest and most consistent release. Included are such lounge-rock classics as the laid-back "Buena," the seductive "Candy," and the gleefully cacophonic "Thursday." With the underground buzz reaching a feverish pitch shortly after the release of CURE FOR PAIN, Morphine would be signed to a major-label deal just after one more exceptional release.

Rolling Stone (3/24/94, p.94) - 3 Stars - Good - "...There's no nostalgia in Morphine's sound, in spite of its swanky gleam, just the belief that rock has every right to swing...."

Q (2/94, p.98) - 4 Stars - Excellent.

Melody Maker (1/8/94, p.29) - "...great late-night music...A sweet, sinister seduction..."

Musician (11/93, p.88) - "...Between Mark Sandman's Jim Thompsonesque lyrics and the band's bass/bari sax/drums lineup, Morphine does the noir thing better than any group around...."

Audio Magazine (2/94, p.82) - "...CURE FOR PAIN is Scotch whiskey-soaked, smoke-filled, lounge-friendly stuff perfect for modern film noir.... delightfully underproduced by Paul Q. Kolderie, CURE FOR PAIN is wildly original..."

NME (Magazine) (1/8/94, p.29) - 8 - Excellent - "...Morphine have delivered an album that effortlessly conveys a singularity of style, while remaining abundantly diverse..."