New Jim Solo Album

[Lucius]

I half love it, half not bothered. I LOVE Throwback, No Secrets and Out of Time. There are some I really don't like that venture too far into a lame 'dad rock' sound.

I really wanted to like No Use Waiting but the riff is too repetitive for me, it gets annoying. I also can't take All In Your Head seriously, what's with the lisp???

Overall I think it would have worked better an as EP. Like I said there are some good songs but rock is such a tired/dying genre, everything has been done to death, I prefer Jim's other more experimental first two albums. Like others have said I really wanted to love this album and was very excited for it but, something's missing.

+ 1 more vote for The Waterfall being awesome. I rate it above Circuital and Evil Urges, don't get me wrong I dig those albums too but TW was like a breath of fresh air. In Its Infancy is easily in my top 10 Jacket songs. Pure magic!

[dogwoody]

All I have to say is No Secrets is a BANGING TUNE I MEAN MY GOD

[slappymoe]

rock is such a tired/dying genre, everything has been done to death

hey hey, my my
rock and roll can never die

or 

long live rock
be it dead or alive

I think it's a fantastic album if you can just accept it for what it is -  a collection of raw, rowdy rock songs.  it's not gonna change the world or cure disease, it's just a good, fun summer listen.

still not a fan of the production, sounds too much like some Phil Spector wall-of-sound nonsense.  but it is what it is, and I can deal with it.

[parkervb]

you know what's actually dying? using "dad rock" as a pejorative.

What is that even supposed to mean these days? Do people without kids have better taste in music or is that we're out of time (yes I did that) with what's good? Why can't it be "mom rock" as well?

[APR]

Cool video featuring Jim discussing the album cover and footage of Jim's conversation with the photographer

https://youtu.be/DXQVU-eizWY

[Lucius]

you know what's actually dying? using "dad rock" as a pejorative.

What is that even supposed to mean these days? Do people without kids have better taste in music or is that we're out of time (yes I did that) with what's good? Why can't it be "mom rock" as well?

I have nothing against Dads. I'm always the first to spot a DILF in the vicinity

I guess by Dad Rock I just mean something that's light, tame, lacks any edge or bite. I stand by it! I guess I just didn't ever imagine Jim doing anything as cheesey as You Get to Rome. It might grow on me but for now I'll be skipping it, and a few others. 

Now, DILF Rock is definitely something I could get on board with!

[parkervb]

you know what's actually dying? using "dad rock" as a pejorative.

What is that even supposed to mean these days? Do people without kids have better taste in music or is that we're out of time (yes I did that) with what's good? Why can't it be "mom rock" as well?

I have nothing against Dads. I'm always the first to spot a DILF in the vicinity

I guess by Dad Rock I just mean something that's light, tame, lacks any edge or bite. I stand by it! I guess I just didn't ever imagine Jim doing anything as cheesey as You Get to Rome. It might grow on me but for now I'll be skipping it, and a few others. 

Now, DILF Rock is definitely something I could get on board with!

(yea, not a get to Rome fan at all)
(also Wilco seems to be the main "dad rock" band people mention but I assume that's people who've never seen them perform Art of Almost)

[PJAMVedder]

Been stewing with the album since Friday now. For me, first listen was rough with good moments.

I'm now in love with this album

[Stevie]

After three listens, the following is clear to me:

1.  No Secrets is undisputable king, everything else is at least a notch and a half below.

2.  I absolutely cant stand three songs: Fool, Yes to, and Rome.  i know theres a lot of guitar on Yes but its just mindless noise to me and his vocals arent helping.

3.  I like the rest of the songs on a spectrum between a 6.5 and an 8.  (No secrets is a 9.5). 

4.  Eternally Even as a whole album is easily better.  It transcends.  Conversely, Ill probably never want to listen to this album from front to back ever again.  Some of that has to do with how many times ive already heard fool and throwback, but i also dont think the sum is greater than the parts here.  Its just a stack of parts. 

5.  I think this was a release valve for Jim.  Maybe he was feeling creatively stuck, maybe he was feeling restless and frustrated with his usual creative process.  Either way, i think making the album the way he did served a purpose for him and his next work should be pretty damn good once he feels like spending some serious time on something again.

[Nikkogino]

After three listens, the following is clear to me:

1.  No Secrets is undisputable king, everything else is at least a notch and a half below.

2.  I absolutely cant stand three songs: Fool, Yes to, and Rome.  i know theres a lot of guitar on Yes but its just mindless noise to me and his vocals arent helping.

3.  I like the rest of the songs on a spectrum between a 6.5 and an 8.  (No secrets is a 9.5). 

4.  Eternally Even as a whole album is easily better.  It transcends.  Conversely, Ill probably never want to listen to this album from front to back ever again.  Some of that has to do with how many times ive already heard fool and throwback, but i also dont think the sum is greater than the parts here.  Its just a stack of parts. 

5.  I think this was a release valve for Jim.  Maybe he was feeling creatively stuck, maybe he was feeling restless and frustrated with his usual creative process.  Either way, i think making the album the way he did served a purpose for him and his next work should be pretty damn good once he feels like spending some serious time on something again.

Yes to Everything is my favorite.

[RobRoy286]

After three listens, the following is clear to me:

1.  No Secrets is undisputable king, everything else is at least a notch and a half below.

2.  I absolutely cant stand three songs: Fool, Yes to, and Rome.  i know theres a lot of guitar on Yes but its just mindless noise to me and his vocals arent helping.

3.  I like the rest of the songs on a spectrum between a 6.5 and an 8.  (No secrets is a 9.5). 

4.  Eternally Even as a whole album is easily better.  It transcends.  Conversely, Ill probably never want to listen to this album from front to back ever again.  Some of that has to do with how many times ive already heard fool and throwback, but i also dont think the sum is greater than the parts here.  Its just a stack of parts. 

5.  I think this was a release valve for Jim.  Maybe he was feeling creatively stuck, maybe he was feeling restless and frustrated with his usual creative process.  Either way, i think making the album the way he did served a purpose for him and his next work should be pretty damn good once he feels like spending some serious time on something again.

Yes to Everything is my favorite.

On first listen, Yes to Everything was my least favorite. Now it's my favorite.

[PJAMVedder]

I second Yes to Everything

[dookie shoot bandit]

Yes to Everything 

But then again I'm a father of 3. So it's prob just lame ol Dad rock 

[millerjustin]

I was at Rough Trade, so I'm a bit bullish on the whole thing - as with all Jim and MMJ releases, it always sounds better live.

No Secrets grabbed me right away, but now I'm obsessed with All in Your Head - such a dirty crazy horse vibe and I can hear remnants of PJ's "Off He Goes"

[MMJTX]

All In Your Head definitely climbed up the board of fave songs for me over the weekend while listening to the album.
and also put me down as a big ol thumbs up for this album 

[dookie shoot bandit]

All In Your Head definitely climbed up the board of fave songs for me over the weekend while listening to the album.
and also put me down as a big ol thumbs up for this album 

I took a 4 hour road trip up to upstate New York this weekend, and listened to the album a bunch.
All in Your Head got better with each listen I thought too.
After numerous repeat listens my order is:
- yes to everything
- too good to be true
- no secrets
- out of time
- all in your head
- throwback
- no use waiting
- over and over
- better late than never
- you get to rome
- just a fool

[Stevie]

At the end of the day, most of us got 7-8 somgs we really like out of this album, and there could be some huge additions to the jacket setlist in there.  So its a big win.

[dookie shoot bandit]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.salon.com/amp/jim-james-solo-album-uniform-distortion-interview

Great interview with Jim, regarding the new album

[HardNightConformist]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.salon.com/amp/jim-james-solo-album-uniform-distortion-interview

Great interview with Jim, regarding the new album

Great interview.

Find the timing funny that he just recently was the one to go back and "perfect" It Still Moves and put out a Re-Mastered version. Guess the pendulum swung back hard the other way.

[Stevie]

Haha, i never thought about that. Very true. 

And honestly, that whole process is probably directly responsible for how he felt going into making Distortion.  Seems like he was just tapped out when it came to fine tuning things.  Hopefully his next release finds him balancing that line masterfully.  However, if Distortion proves anything its that as long as Jim is excited about what hes doing, hes going to make some great songs.