MY MORNING JACKET – Z (Badman)
I have never really taken much notice of Canadian band My Morning Jacket before, the few tracks that I have heard being fairly run of the mill indie/country rock. However, the general consensus of opinion on their new one is that the injection of a modern production job and pulling back on the country flavour has produced something of a minor masterpiece. I must say that compared to their previous effort this is most certainly the case, and you only have to listen to opener ‘Wordless Chorus’ to know that this album is something special. ‘What a Wonderful Man’ has some great heavy guitar, and an infectious chorus, while ‘Gideon’ has a haunting quality accentuated by the perfect blending of guitar and synth. ‘Off The Record’ is pretty straight-ahead rock, with another catchy chorus, and a nice synth and piano interlude. It is almost progressive rock, but pulls back just in time before it veers off into self-indulgence. The fairground organ and echo-laden vocals of ‘Into The Woods’ herald one of the most unusual tracks on here, although it is nonetheless still enjoyable, even though it stands out as something of an anomaly. ‘Anytime’ brings back the rock element with a vengence – a great hard rocker complete with staccato piano figures and an impassioned vocal. ‘Laylow’ is the first time that the country influences of their other albums makes an appearance, but with their newfound maturity the band can make it more Kings Of Leon than Jim Reeves – and it does boast a great Allmans-style guitar work out at the end. ‘Knot Comes Loose’ is a lovely piano and slide guitar ballad – so different to the rest of the album that it emerges as one of the best tracks. ‘Dondante’ closes the album, starting off as an extension of the previous track – just plaintive vocals and gentle backing – but when the chorus kicks in it is as if fellow Canuck Neil Young has been let loose in the studio with a free hand. Stunning guitar solos and a soaring vocal mark this song as the highpoint of the album, and it is just as well that they left it until last as it is a hard act to follow. But follow it they do, with a bonus track for vinyl junkies in the shape of ‘Chills’, another country tinged ballad. For a relatively obscure band to have produced an album that hangs together as well as this one is quite an achievement, and I hope that it heralds great things for the future.