Review by Doug Cornell

A lot of people raved about My Morning Jacket's last album, It Still Moves.  The record was supposed to ignite a new trend towards a more organic brand of modern rock music.  Trendiness was a non-issue, as My Morning Jacket was all about authenticity and substance over style.  But the album really had one of the most stylishly identifiable sounds heard in recent times.  A lush guitar/bass/drum band backed the haunting, reverb-drenched vocals of Jim James.  The fact that the album was recorded in a grain silo added to the buzz surrounding this truly American band. It Still Moves won over a lot of fans, but largely failed to reach any sort of mainstream audience.

My Morning Jacket's new release for 2005, Z, offers a significant improvement over It Still Moves. Despite the addition of two new band members on guitar and keyboards, the sound is less cluttered and more immediate.  The guitar melodies are substantial enough that you feel as if you might be able to hold them in your hands.  And the singing by James reaches levels of immense passion.

Z opens with "Wordless Chorus," a track that immediately breaks the mold of the bands previous albums.  Oh, the dreamy (wordless) chorus is still here, but the verse is lightly sung over a stuttering bass/keyboard line. This song isn't likely to be a smash chart hit, but it does set the tone for an album that often reaches for heart-wrenching majesty.

An insistent snare beat propels "It Beats for You."  James sings the verse in a restrained fashion, allowing the song to build momentum as a keyboard melody is introduced.  Suddenly, the guitars shimmer in a wash of tremolo, forcing shivers to run up and down the listener's spine.  Just when you think you've heard what may be the coolest song you'll hear all year, the next track, "Gideon," begins.  It sounds vaguely familiar, like a song U2 could do if they were ever remotely subtle.  Which is not to say the song is quiet; "Gideon" packs one hell of a wallop, but it's not the bombast we are all used to.  James allows his voice to become one with the guitars and percussion and piano, creating a song that proves that there may really be such a thing as divine inspiration.

Not willing to be pigeonholed into a particular style, My Morning Jacket changes the tempo to a blistering rock and roll pace in "What a Wonderful Man."  The guitars are allowed full reign, and James satisfying himself by singing within the context of the song instead of dominating it as he has in the past.  The trend continues with "Off the Record."  The guitars borrow 1/2 of the "Hawaii 5-0" theme and the vocal reverb is turned down a notch in this fun, radio-friendly tune. 

The pace slows but the fun continues.  The band offers us a carnival waltz ("Into the Woods"), straight-ahead guitar and keyboard driven rock and roll ("Anytime"), a complex tune that could be an outtake from their previous album ("Lay Low"), and an intimate southern ballad ("Knot Comes Loose").

Z closes with the epic (7:59) track, "Dondante."  James light falsetto is accompanied with a light snare and kick drum, bass, and guitar atmospherics.  This is the sort of track that you just know is going to really stretch the bands collective talents. When the volume is finally cranked up at the four minute mark, the tension is relieved in a wash of electric guitar heaven.  Frank Zappa said that writing about music is like dancing about architecture.  If this is true, then there are no words that can suitably describe this song.

My Morning Jacket's Z should be in the collection of any fan of modern or classic rock music.  The songs transcend generations, offering a listening experience that deserves to be enjoyed.  Don't pass this one up.