Z

[otter]

Months later what's the general concensus amongst the Jacket elite...I've been away from this site far too long and am curious if you all love it, how far out of the box you think they went?

I find the more I play it ...the time listening passes too quickly, I don't skip songs...I wish it had 15 songs

As different as this record is... I listen to it much like I did the others.... I can't pull it out of the player

[ali]

i don't know if i'm one of the jacket elite but after 3 or 4 months or whatever its been, i'm still listening to z at least once a day (i know this may sound excessive, but i'm on public transport for nearly 2 hours every day, so that gives me a lot of listening time)

i like the progression and development that happens between all the albums. i don' t know if z was a huge departure, as i can see where it comes from in the sound and emotion of the other albums. to me its more of a natural progression and evolution - they haven't left the box, its like they took a look at the box, and decided to make it a bigger, more complex, multi-faceted & cool box. but its still the mmj box at heart.  maybe the actual physical "sound" of z is a bit different, but that were a lot of changes between ism & z (new members, new studio, new producer  etc etc) and it is just as great & lovely & big & awesome as the others to me

i'm with ya otter on the 15 songs thing - it seems barely has jim's vocals died down on the end of wordless chorus than dondante is starting... maybe its just me going into a sonic-bliss-coma in between!!  ;)

[sweatboard]

I agree, I don't think they pushed it so far that it sounded like a different band or them trying to be something that they aren't.  It just sounds like the same band taking a big bold beutiful step in a new direction.  I absolutly love the record and I can't wait to see where it goes from here. ;D

[peanut butter puddin surprise]

heya Otter, glad to have you back!  it's been a while... :)

[Chills]

It was great and it still is.
I really like the fact that it's shorter.
I thought It Still Moves could have been a little shorter too.

[Jon T.]

I agree Ali.  I went on a little road trip this weekend and listened to the full lengths from TTF to Z.  In my opinion I thought the biggest change was between At Dawn and ISM.  I'm sure people will disagree but that's just me.  Jim could have started ISM with the  MC5 line   "Kick out the jams, motherfuckers!!!!!"  It seems they really picked up the tempo with ISM.

[MMJ_fanatic]

I think that is just part of the natural evolution they have been going through tho'.  As for Z i have not been playing it as much as I did TTF, AD, & ISM (partly because I've been listening to their Bonnaroo 05 set soo much  ;)).  Oh and welcome back to the fold Senor Otter!

[EC]

nice to see otter on the board.  :)  very nice.  :)

i put z on when i'm out in the world usually.  or in the shower.  my morning jacket has always been my showering music.

it's a good way to start the day.

i love it.  i love it as much as the first time i listened to it, and i fucking LOVED it the first time i listened to it.  i still hear new things.

[dragonboy]

i still hear new things.

Me too! The production is excellent.
Every time I listen to Z I find a new sound or instrument that I hadn't noticed before.
It's perfect headphone music!
I plan on listening to all four of the studio albums in a row this Sunday during my 12hour flight to Paris. I've never done that before...

[jrat]

so i know this has been dead forawhile, but so have i.

i think its the easiest way to get people hooked, makem listen to Z. my friends have said At Dawn is boring, and i could see why they would make such agrave error. its mellow and slow, but you cant jkust throw it on and blow peoples minds, the setting has to be right, i.e. not at a party with drunks running around. more like AFTER the party, when everyone hungover and looking at the lake, bathing in it at 8 am, thats when you throw on At Dawn. Z, right in the middle of the damn party!!!!  

my point is, Z is awesome, and makes easier to spread MMJs gospel

[loper]

so i know this has been dead forawhile, but so have i.

i think its the easiest way to get people hooked, makem listen to Z. my friends have said At Dawn is boring, and i could see why they would make such agrave error. its mellow and slow, but you cant jkust throw it on and blow peoples minds, the setting has to be right, i.e. not at a party with drunks running around. more like AFTER the party, when everyone hungover and looking at the lake, bathing in it at 8 am, thats when you throw on At Dawn. Z, right in the middle of the damn party!!!!  

my point is, Z is awesome, and makes easier to spread MMJs gospel

Yep, wack on Z to attract the type of fan who finds MMJ's previous albums too complex.

But do we really want MMJ to appeal to that type of fan ???

[jrat]

sometimes it takes a few listens to get it all in

[SiOuxTribe]

Nearing the end of Dondante, Bo does a cool piano slide thing thats really hard to hear but its there.  
Just one of those tiny little things.

[Billo]

About Z
I can not listen to it all.  Into the Woods does nothing for me and Off the Record is too restained.  I prefer the live  versions of OtR I have heard much better.  Wordless Chorus is barely passable, as is What a Wonderful Man which I just don't care for.  What a Wonderfull Man sounds forced.  It's just not them.  Too Brit pop circa the Kinks.
Don Dante is a masterpiece, Knot Comes Loose and Oxen flashes from the past.  The other 3 Gideon, Anytime, and Lay Low reminds me why they are my favourite band.  That being said, my faith is not blind or deaf.  
I loved It Still Moves and I didn't want a repeat of it.
I take MMJ's music for what it is.  I am happy they are able to be as creative as they want to be.  

[TEO]

Hey Billo-have you seen any of Z stuff performed live? You should have been in INDY when they opened with Wordless Chorus! It was one of the most exciting openers I have ever seen. But I do agree, I really do not care for Into The Woods at all. Check them out live, they don't hold back!

[JohnnyRage]

Wordless Chorus is amazing both on and off the album. What A Wonderful Man is better heard live, actually great live.

[BH]

Hey Billo-have you seen any of Z stuff performed live? You should have been in INDY when they opened with Wordless Chorus! It was one of the most exciting openers I have ever seen. But I do agree, I really do not care for Into The Woods at all. Check them out live, they don't hold back!

Spot on with Wordless Chorus, they opened with that a lot.  I remember the hair standing up on the back of my neck and I couldn't help but start yelling out "HooooH"s way before their time!

Give Into The Woods a little time.  Try it again, and instead of being distracted by the carnival music, concentrate on the vocals.  Soak it all in.

[marktwain]

It was the lyrics to 'Into the Woods' that finally won me over.

[TEO]

OK Bermuda-I'll take your advice and give "Woods" a couple of more listens.  (((((((Z)))))))  Thanx, TEO

[Jon T.]

Also, for Into the Woods,  try and get your hands on the Easy Street Records that Jim did solo.  I was intrigued the first time I heard it and just continue to like it more and more.  But, when you hear Jim doing all of the Ahhhhhh, ahhhh, ahhh, ahhhhhh at the end of the song with just an acoustic guitar it is guaranteed to give you a newfound respect for the  song.  GUARANTEED.

I think I got it from  bt.etree.org.  It was somewhere on this forum a few weeks ago.