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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
your evening coat, June 25, 2008
Dylan. The Rolling Thunder Revue. I'm Not There. It was these things that brought My Morning Jacket, or rather Jim James, to my (re)attention. After hearing the name My Morning Jacket, and liking it, in 1999 I was largely non-blown away by this interestingly named band. However, upon watching "I'm Not There" and hearing Jim James (and Calexico) better Dylan's original version of "Goin' To Acupulco" in full Rolling Thunder Revue face paint I was definitely intrigued. "If the singer can nail that then surely his band must be worth another look" I remember musing whilst listening to said cover for about the tenth time in a row. As luck would have it My Morning Jacket were preparing a new album; the excellently titled "Evil Urges". If I was to start anywhere why not start at where they're at right now and work back. And so I did.
Evil Urges begins with a triplet of bizarre-yet-brilliant songs. After going from listening to the acoustic classicism of a Dylan cover to the rock and funk falsetto freakishness that is the albums opening gambit is quite a journey, albeit an enjoyable one. This opening section energizes, challenges and tempts the senses with its ambition, style and execution which, through reading fan reviews, has left some MMJ "traditionalists" scratching their heads. However, music is often a vehicle for change and if you're left asking questions like "why don't do they do it like they used to" then you should probably buy a U2 album and be happy at the dull familiarity of every song. This is MMJ with Prince-like sex appeal and a willingness to ditch the alt-country cloak that has been draped on them thus far.
The middle section does hark back to their roots with the southern rock influenced "Thank You Too", the subtle soul of "Sec Wakin'" and the beautiful "Librarian". However, these are not a step backwards rather than a band showing what they can do in the quiet moments. And what can they do? Make those moments soothing and poignant.
The album picks up a heavier pace with "Aluminum Park" before finishing on the twelve minute plus couplet of "Smokin' From Shootin'" and "Touch Me I'm Going To Scream (part 2)" which uses Jim James antiquated Omnichord to full effect.
As a "new" and fickle fan this album doesn't have a bad track on it. It begs to be played again and again in order to fully appreciate the nuance and novelty of a band who still make full albums and not just singles for iTunes.
If you, or I, needed any proof at the impact of this album then hear this: a week after getting this album I purchased MMJ's back catalogue and now have a much greater appreciation of tracks like "The Bear", "Gideon" and "I Will Be There When You Die". How many albums make you do that?
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10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Nothing like their previous albums, June 11, 2008
I am really confused by this album. I've been trying to put my finger on what the problem is and I think they've oversimplified things. It seems like these songs were crafted to appeal to more of a mass audience and they've lost their edge. I kept waiting for the drumming, guitars, and Jim James' voice to elevate me to the heights we experienced with It Still Moves, Z, and At Dawn but they're no where to be found. There are no crescendos here. It's sort of experimental with the Prince-like singing on a few songs but overall the album falls flat. I'll be eagerly awaiting a return to form from one of my favorite bands.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Modern Rock With Soul, June 28, 2008
"Evil Urges" has polarized fans in their opinions about the stylistic changes MMJ has undergone since they creeped into the consciousness of the indie rock world. It is a record that is very different from the brand of Americana roots rock that they produced with their first three records. When they released "Z" in 2005, it was a stylistic departure that was surprising at first, but was largely accepted by their fans as a modern classic and a willingness to experiment akin to Wilco's "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot". Much of the criticism about "Evil Urges" has been directed towards what some fans perceive to be a more extreme departure from their earlier sounds than attempted with "Z" on some songs, but also a sense of playing it too safe with more traditional material on other songs. The point seems to be that "Evil Urges" is significantly less consistent than "Z" which I disagree with.
"Z" and "Evil Urges" have a very similar sequence. Both records start with falsetto infused modern rock and arty pop. Both records have a middle section comprised of more straightforward guitar driven rock and some rootsy material. And both have ending pieces that have a similar level of dramatic tension, although different in style.
That's not to say that "Evil Urges" is a copy of "Z". Its range of styles is more extreme which can come across as a band unclear in its direction but there are two themes that run through the disc that bring it all together. The first is its roots in R&B sounds both modern and classic. The ringing guitar sounds and thumping bass of the title track and both parts of "Touch Me I'm Going to Scream" plus the 70's AM radio soul of "Thank You Too!", "Sec Walkin" and "Look At You" are evidence of the band's passion for R&B that make this record so distinctive. This is accomplished while also retaining elements of the band's trademark southern sound, with splashes of slide guitar, electric piano, and Jim James' trademark southern drawl. The record does have one jump-the-shark moment with "Highly Suspicious", but it's a relatively minor offense that the skip button won't cure as the mood strikes you.
The songs on "Evil Urges" are tied together by a lyrical theme throughout the record dealing with conflicts in faith and morality. The title cut addresses the moral judgements placed on freedom of sexuality. "I'm Amazed" addresses "the lack of faith", "the love we rejecting" and "what we accept in its place". "Sec Walkin" is an image of an individual walking through life looking for someone with compassion but finding "demon eyes watching" and wondering "brother - don't you care?" The acoustic "Librarian" uses the title subject as a metaphor to address the superficiality of our culture in the values that we place on physical beauty and instant gratification. The hard rocking "Remnants" imagines "a new 'heaven' formed in the bleeding light of dusk -- all souls, all faiths, always - we are one". And "Smokin From Shootin" wonders "what is life in god, a perfect vision of the self?" and states that "faith can't prove what science won't resolve" when a relationship has been changed by their lover's newfound faith. These lyrical themes make the record much more cohesive than the critic's give it credit.
If you're a fan of the band's earlier material and were not as big a fan of "Z", "Evil Urges" probably won't appeal to you. If you're a fan of "Z" regardless, there is a lot to like about this record and I highly recommend it. Whether you're an existing fan or new to the band entirely, free your mind of expectations and let this record speak to you on its own terms.
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