Crazewire Reviews Z

[LaurieBlue]

http://www.crazewire.com/features/20060117511.php

My Morning Jacket - Z
Louisville outfit gets an A on Z.

by Chad Beck
Austin, TX
 

Even more so than their last full length, It Still Moves, My Morning Jacket construct an amazingly subtle trap for the listener on Z – a record as transient as steam, yet as impacting as a blast of concrete to the head. Rather than bludgeoning the listener with aural assault tactics, My Morning Jacket deftly implement top-notch detail to songwriting over the long haul, resulting in a strangely satisfying record.  

Opening with the a song true to its title, "Wordless Chorus" envelopes the listener in a balanced mix of synths, percussion and inarticulate "ooohs" and "ahhs." Drawing on their Louisville, KY roots, My Morning Jacket create a modern soul music that is both universal and deeply personal. "Gideon" plays like a traditional song by hallucinogenic conquerors, invading the home of the free and the land of the brave for the first time – ignoring flaws and exalting undeniable beauty. Heights like this are hit quite often during Z, most notably during "Knot Comes Loose" and the closing "Dondante" – where tragic beauty spills into the recording studio, flooding the subconscious recesses of the brain with thoughtful lyrics and haunting melody.

A song among a bevy of great songs, it's the Clash by way of the Black Crowes feel of "Off The Record" that firmly places Z among the year's great ROCK records. My Morning Jacket might hail from Louisville, KY, but the rock-steady vibe that hits head-on with the Tarantino-soundtrack-esque guitars on "Off The Record" gives a rather salty impression of this midwestern quintet. Craftily switching from wild drumming to a smooth drum-machine driven Hammond solo during the song's epilogue, MMJ make brilliance sound effortless. "Off The Record" is one of t he very best songs of the year and makes Z more than worth the money.

[Easy Morning Rebel]

definitely a great review! ;D