My Morning Jacket - Z

[peipunk]

Has anyone heard this yet?? I am wondering what other people think. I'm on my 4th listen and its starting to grow on me, but the first pass gave me mixed feelings! Very different sounding than their older albums, until you get to the last couple tracks. I would say "poppier" at first, but then again, wtf does that mean. The first song has a "cha-cha-cha" feel(and some Prince-ish falsetto), and there's an accordion later on thats...well, I dunno what. Like I said, its taken a few passes but its growing on me. Very interested to hear what other people think.

[SmoothedShredder]

It's sure going to make a big room sound nice... I like it alot!

[Jakis]

I like it alot as well. I have only listened to it once so far but liked what I heard!

[Jaimoe]

So far, I rank it forth best out of their four full length LPs. However, it is growing on me too. The songs are really catchy and memorable.

Punk, I agree about Z being poppier, although punchier seems more like it to me. I think I have early listening issues with the clean production. Also, I find the some of the songs don't go for the jugular like they should, even when the neck is exposed.

That being said, I think 6 of the 10 songs are good. Dondonte is the best song on Z with Laylow a close second. Into The Woods is an ambitious failure. Off The Record, their lead-off single, is too poppy for my liking and should have a freaking guitar solo in the ambient jam at the end - agreeing with Pitchfork's review.

The album has pacing issues, yet it ends on a real high. The last 4 songs are strong, if not great.

I better save my thoughts for an official review. I'll submit it in the next 4 days or so.

[whiteymuseum]

I'm very frustrated with this album. My Morning Jacket was a band I didnt think would ever slick up for commercial support. But they did. I liked it raw.

[Jaimoe]

I like MMJ raw too.

This album will polarize many fans, similar to what's happened with The White Stripes latest: " Get Behind Me Satan ", although that album certainly sounds like The White Stripes.

At the same time, I understand why MMJ probably didn't want to put out another dark folk, roots, southern rock record. Jim James wanted to do something fresh with a harder edge.

I think that the use of an outside co-producer ( for the first time ) changed the band's sound - his stamp is all over many of the songs on the record. It's like Z is made up of 2 separate EPs. This is perhaps why I like half the songs ( 6 of 10 actually ); i.e. the rawer sounding ones.

Edited October 8, 2005 by Guest

[scottieking]

This is not your mama's MMJ....

Having given it the full three listens, I'm willing to classify this as a success for the band. I worship "At Dawn" and "It Still Moves" but recognize that between that feeling for musicians to evolve and the replacement of two core members of the band with new guys, the sound was never going to go back to the sweet codiene paced country the boys have offered up before. I saw that Pitchfork was calling this MMJ's OK Computer. While the comparasion is little much, the sentiment rings somewhat true.

Personally, I like the record but feel that I'll still be reaching for the old ones to fill the corner of my musical soul as only they could. The new stuff should kill live.

[Jaimoe]

I've read countless big publication reviews of 'Z' and am slightly surprised that they are all positive if not flat-out raves. I cannot rave about the album, but it's not a failure by a long shot.

I've heard the OK Computer comparison. Puke. I like Radiohead but this release isn't drastically experimental. 'Z' is more structured than any of their previous 3 LPs and the production is cleaner ( often jarringly so ). That doesn't warrant an OK Computer comparison in my books. Into The Woods is the only song that is close to being a drastic departure from their 'sound', and it fails.

I too am excited at the prospect of hearing the new songs live.

I've listened to the album five times or so and some of the songs stay in my head and won't go away, as good pop-rock songs have a tendency to do: Lay Low, Dondante, Gideon, It Beats For You, Off The Record, What A Wonderful Man.

I think people who don't know MMJ will probably like this album. Also, people who didn't like their first three albums, with all the ambient country and drenched reverb vocals, will find 'Z' a lot more palatable.

[Jaimoe]

I'm thinking that this thread is better than the 'Z' review I was intending on writing. The album is worth buying, but if you are a MMJ fan, it will surprise you.

[purple foot]

lookin forward to hearing it.

[Guest Low Roller]

I'll have to get my hands on this record at some point and give it a good listen.

[Patchoulia]

I'm listening to My Morning Jacket for the first time right now--streaming one of their albums.

Not sure what to make of it--I think I'd like it, if not for the singing.

[deranger]

I think its great. Why bother treading old ground, why not move forward and push things? I was secretly hoping for another It Still Moves, but I'm happy that this ain't it. I want artists, not technicians. I've listened to it a dozen times and it gets better each time. Dondante is a great song, gotta agree with ya Jaimoe. But the lead-off track is really good too. Subtlety, nice creeping subtlety. All in all, I like it and I think Jim and the boys did a great job.