My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges

My Morning Jacket . Evil Urges . 2008. 3.5 stars .

MMJ’s Evil Urges gracefully picks up were 2005’s Z left off, bringing together eclectic styles and influences into a festive and confident whole. Just as Z pushed MMJ’s sound from folksy, rustic indie rock to full-bodied arena-rock jams, their latest offering continues their evolution towards orchestral pop and funk, with many oddball dynamics thrown in. While purists may initially be caught off guard by the gauzy and free-wheeling nature of these 14 songs, repeated listens uncover the great variety and brave experimentation within, making this a work that grows on you over time.

The first thing many listeners will probably notice is Jim James’ uncanny falsetto on some of these tracks, most notably "Evil Urges" and "Highly Suspicious", used to full histrionic effect. The wails, coos and laughs give these songs a very strange, theatrical air, reminding me of some early Micheal Jackson songs, which can be either excellent or terrible depending on your tastes. These funk-inspired moments, while entertaining, seem out of place among MMJ’s previous output, and place emphasis on performance rather than tight song craft.

Luckily, there is some more familiar ground to be tread on here, including the infectious "I’m Amazed" where James’ stunning voice returns to room-shaking form. Other highlights include the groovy, bass driven "Touch Me I’m going to Scream Pt. 1" and the operatic "Librarian" which describes the hidden beauty of a bookish woman in the same lovelorn fashion as the late great Roy Orbison. MMJ’s genre-blending throwbacks are executed with great success, carrying the same stadium-filling grandeur possessed by many 70s era rock acts, but rarely seen in our contemporary (and highly disposable) music culture. While Evil Urges may make an awkward first impression, being an amalgamation of disparate pop and rock elements, it still provides some uplifting moments when given time to reveal itself. Despite my preference for their gritter and more straightforward material (ie. their unbelievable Acoustic Citsuoca EP), Evil Urges is still a refreshing listen that is amplified even further when placed within the context of the band’s continuous progression.

I’m Amazed

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