My Morning Jacket
http://www.mymorningjacket.com

styles: indie pop, indie rock, alt country
others: Mercury Rev, Luna, Flaming Lips, Wilco

Z
ATO, 2005
rating: 4/5
reviewer: jspicer


Classic rock is the new face of indie rock. It doesn't matter if it's the psychedelic-inspired rock of Dungen, the skronk and pop of Wilco, or the southern rock of My Morning Jacket—classic rock, in its most generic meaning, is making a huge comeback. All we need now are the Kiss make-up, the expensive pyrotechnics, and Rick Nielsen novelty guitars. However, Z doesn't rely on fancy get-ups and cheap tricks. My Morning Jacket refuse to be molded into the next southern rock saviors, and the band's fourth full-length album moves farther away from traditional chops and into some uncharted territory for a band who records in silos on Kentucky farms.

What you can expect is what makes My Morning Jacket tried and true: bigger-than-life lyrics, classic rock swagger, and the need to move forward. Popping in the CD and listening to the opener "Wordless Chorus," a dose of what's to come is delivered soft and easy. The band has subscribed to the Mary Poppins philosophy: a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. The track is all hushed guitars and whirling melody with a carnival beat—if only songs like this were played while riding the 4-H Merry-Go-Round. And if it makes a difference to you, the chorus actually is wordless.

Much of the hushed and restrained guitar work remains, as the band switches gears quickly into "It Beats for You." Holding in the urge to unleash the flying V and the headbanging, My Morning Jacket focus on the little things that make a song feel important. The keys and drums are pushed to the front of the mix, creating a quiet tune. The track holds back a lot, but it makes for a surprising little rocker that again relies on melody in lieu of big riffs—these are left to "Gideon," which unleashes loud guitars and Jim James' impassioned wail, though never abandoning the focus on a lighter tune.

Of course, My Morning Jacket wouldn't be My Morning Jacket if they didn't turn up the amps and let the long hair fly. And there are plenty of straight-shooters to be found. "Anytime," "What A Wonderful Man," and "Lay Low" all play off the band's storied strengths. The classic rock riffage is brought back to the front of the mix without sacrificing the strides in recording and experimentation My Morning Jacket have brought to the fold. Consider Z a bridge between the days of At Dawn and It Still Moves and the future of My Morning Jacket. Z isn't the final destination, it's the truck stop at the fork in the road. You rest, fill up the tank, eat some home cooking, and hear the stories of the open road from those who live their lives on 18 wheels.

1. Wordless Chorus
2. It Beats for You
3. Gideon
4. What a Wonderful Man
5. Off the Record
6. Into the Woods
7. Anytime
8. Lay Low
9. Knot Comes Loose
10. Dondante

It Still Moves
ATO, 2003
rating: 4/5
reviewer: jean-pierre


Years ago, I used to doubt that making a great album was enough to be discovered and appreciated by music fans. You needed a gimmick to stand out from the multitude of music acts that keep coming out. Then I picked up At Dawn, My Morning Jacket's sprawling sophomore release on tiny Darla Records. It took the rest of world two years to catch up, but hard work (and the most kick-ass live show) have won the band a host of fans and has led up to It Still Moves, My Morning Jacket's major label debut.

Someone who has followed the band over the past couple of years would find few surprises in It Still Moves. The band is no longer backing lead singer and songwriter Jim James but plays a much larger role than in the past. Piano keys are played hard on "Dancefloors" courtesy of Danny Cash just before a small arsenal of Stax-esque horns fill out one of the tightest rhythm sections in rock and roll today.

Live show rockers such as "Mahgeetah" and the monstrous "One Big Holiday" complement a host of slower, drawn-out tunes such as "I Will Sing You Songs," "Rollin Back," and "Steam Engine" that each clock in at nearly eight minutes long. New listeners might get turned off by the more rambling moments, but fans familiar with the band will be able to enjoy these songs as much as anything else the band has released after a couple of listens.

It Still Moves tries its hardest to keep the subtle nuances that make My Morning Jacket so special, and under the circumstances, it largely succeeds. The recording is of top quality and the band sounds better than ever. Unlike At Dawn, with its authentic, honest and personal moments, It Still Moves sees the band progressing in the studio, performing more elaborate songs and blending into one of the most exciting rock and roll bands of our era.

1. Mahgeetah
2. Dancefloors
3. Golden
4. Master Plan
5. One Big Holiday
6. I Will Sing You Songs
7. Easy Morning Rebel
8. Run Thru
9. Rollin Back
10. Just One Thing
11. Steam Engine
12. One in the Same