It Still Moves... Its Still Great!

[johnnYYac]

Hey, I was checking out some Circuital reviews and came upon 3 archived audio reviews for It Still Moves on the NPR website.  One of my favorite things about these reviews is that One Big Holiday is never played or mentioned.  Instead, the reviewers play portions of Dancefloors, Golden, I Will Sing You Songs, Mahgeetah, Easy Morning Rebel, and Masterplan.

Check 'em out.  I'm loving Circuital, but I think ISM still remains at the top of the heap.

Day to Day, September 9, 2003

Fresh Air, September 15, 2003 (this one's a bit more critical re: JJ's writing)

All Things Considered, November 3, 2003

[headhunter]

Gotta agree with you John.  As much as EU and Circuital are wonderful albums and blow away most of what is being released by other bands, ISM is in a different class.

I think that while many of us may have different "favorites", nobody can list ISM as their least favorite MMJ album.

I'm often in an AD mood and am always in an Okonokos mood but I am never not in an ISM mood.  If that makes any sense. 

ISM is a perfect album- start to finish. 

[wolof7]

thanks johnny!

you brought me back like the delorean!

[patrickbateman]

Those were very interesting to listen to, thanks for posting!

It's sort of funny how the Fresh Air reviewer gets downright offended by some of Jim's lyrics...it may just be me but it sounds like his review's focus is all wrong and maybe he should have been a little bit more objective.

[Honest Man]

Gotta agree with you John.  As much as EU and Circuital are wonderful albums and blow away most of what is being released by other bands, ISM is in a different class.

I think that while many of us may have different "favorites", nobody can list ISM as their least favorite MMJ album.

I'm often in an AD mood and am always in an OKkonokos mood but I am never not in an ISM mood.  If that makes any sense. 

ISM is a perfect album- start to finish.

Hands down one of the best ever, not just for MMJ albums.

[DewieCox]

It Still Moves is amazing, but I'd put Z above it. They're really neck and neck though and it mostly depends on my mood. Listening to the albums back to back you'd think there's a different lineup with each album.

[e_wind]

there is a different line up between the two. IMO ISM is their masterpiece. Shit, its Earth's masterpiece.

[fortbethel]

ISM is THE ONLY album I've ever seen get a top review in TIME & Alternative Press magazines at the same time. Talk about two completely diff. magazines! That's why I checked ISM out. It is INDEED MMJ's masterpiece!

[blucas]

Thanks for the nostalgia; it is always fun to look back when caught up in manic mmj mode of absorbing a perfect new album and looking forward to an impending tour.  The ATC interview is particularly cool, stating things like Jim James is "blessed with a devastatingly beautiful voice".

The Fresh Air bozo spends waaaayyy too much time trying to decipher the lyrics for being so put off by them...he comes across as obsessed to me.  As a professional, he should at least get the lyrics right if he is going to criticize them..."Early" Morning Rebel...BIG GIANT DUMMY!!! This is the guy who can't stop talking about how lame the party was because he wasn't cool enough to get invited in the first place.

(funny how the gene to defend mmj against hacks still kicks in so many years after the fact!)

[rincon]

Those were very interesting to listen to, thanks for posting!

It's sort of funny how the Fresh Air reviewer gets downright offended by some of Jim's lyrics...it may just be me but it sounds like his review's focus is all wrong and maybe he should have been a little bit more objective.

That Frsh Air guy should never be allowed to review "music". He should be a poetry critic. In no effing way could the meaning of mostly incomprehensible lyrics influence my impression of an album. Murmur is one of my top 10 all-time albums, and when I read the lyrics 20 years later on the internet, it almost gave me nightmares, like Eraserhead. If it sounds good who cares what someone is singing about, especially if you have to read them somewhere to understand them? Good thing he did not review X-MAS Curtain.

[johnnYYac]

I debated keeping the Fresh Air review off this thread, but its actually mostly positive and I can't help baiting fellow forumites into some discussion.

[rincon]

I debated keeping the Fresh Air review off this thread, but its actually mostly positive and I can't help baiting fellow forumites into some discussion.

You are right, and he is a pretentious f__k!

[blucas]

I debated keeping the Fresh Air review off this thread, but its actually mostly positive and I can't help baiting fellow forumites into some discussion.

I took the bait

[capt. scotty]

I could make statement after statement about how great ISM is and why I love it so much, but its as simple as this:

If the Jacket ever tops ISM, the universe is likely to explode. Think like 12/12/2012, except when MMJ release that album

[Dillsnufus]

if someone can point me to the uk ism vinyl (or whatever the best vinyl pressing is) on ebay or somewhere that would be much appreciated.

[Cameron]

ISM is my favorite rekkid of all time.