New songs?

[MyLifeISought]

When do y'all think they'll start debuting some glorious new stuff for us?

[corey]

Seems like Jim said that he doesn't do any writing when they are on the road.
"It Beats for You" was really the only song that was played well in advance of the release of "z". They started doing a few of the songs last summer in those shows in the run up to Bonnaroo ("Off the record", "What a Wonderful man", etc...) but those were already recorded for "z" at that point.

[MyLifeISought]

I'm happy for anything--one song or five. i really want to hear where this band goes next.

[corey]

I'm with you on that.

[Jernigan]

From what I understand ( please correct me if I'm wrong ) but "Z" was the first album they had worked with a outside
producer?

Jim had did most of the records himself til that point?

Which leads me to the next question: Do you think they
will continue to work with the guy who produced "Z"?

I think it was a good for them. I often wonder what the album would sound like had they produced it themselves.

Just curious.......

[sweatboard]

Well, I would think that they will either find a new producer or do it themselves and find some engineers to help them out.  I'm of the oppinion that MMJ is really interested in continually creating new sounds, and sticking with the same producer for two records in a row could kind of stifle that objective.  I really love the production on Z though.  I think it's a record that will age well.  

[tomEisenbraun]

agreed. i think Jim will probably man the wheel for the next one. i'm thinkin it'll probably also be a little more stripped down, and at the same time probably a bit "weirder" and more adventurous than Z. by that, i don't mean to strip Z of either of those titles. It was plenty of both, but I think by weirder and more adventurous, i think what i'm thinking is more intricate bare and personal stuff, stuff that's played out a little less straightforward. the kind of stuff that you have to roll around on your tongue a little while before you really get the entire thing. rather than just being slammed in the face and thrown into utter rock fury by it. Lay Low anyone?

Don't get me wrong here, either. This is in no way a disappreciation of Z, or a lording of previous albums over it. I love Z. It's absolutely incredible. But it feels like, besides the backwards vocals, there's not a huge gamut of intricacies to get lost in. Which is what's cool about the earlier albums. There's a hell of a lot to discover, and it takes more than a few listens. There's things like "Who's Going to Care" that feels like it was recorded in one take, is in no way perfect, but was just a snapshot in time in a room with cool acoustics and a creaky chair. And a detuned banjo.

Those earlier albums have a hell of a lot more sonic versatility, a lot more to discover, but also a lot more to get lost in. The cool thing about Z is that is an Album, in the truest sense of the word. I forget who said it yesterday, but it was about mixtapes. It feels kind of out of place to take the songs on Z out of context. It's their most congruent album, as in it feels like one solid statement. It's only 45 minutes and the entire thing is wrapped up by the album start to finish.

To me it feels like At Dawn is summed up by the first five or six songs, and then somewhere around Just Because I Do it turns into At Dawn and a bunch of songs. For me, that album is summed up by that Power Stretch of At Dawn, Lowdown, and The Way that he sings.

I don't know, kind of a huge digression there, but some thoughts on the whole scope of the band. And I want to hear more out of the other guys. I think I'd like to hear these guys put together a much more intimate album. Hear everybody's voices a little more, and see what they can do under an At Dawn kind of setting. Not by any means trying to achieve what that album did, but just kind of experimenting and seeing what they can do and not really being pushed by a producer to make a consolidated album, but to just venture through the fringe and try out all kinds of stuff and just take us for a sweet ride in the process.

That's just my rambling thought patterns on the subject.

[sweatboard]

Good post Tom.  I have to disagree with "At Dawn" turning into a bunch of songs though.  I feel that way about TN Fire but I think At Dawn is just about as complete of an album as you can get.  I couldn't imagine one song being cut and it having as deep of an impact.  

As far as the next album....I think they are ready for a full on concept/rock opera type album.  Something like Tommy or The Wall.  I think the band is capable of creating something like that at this point.  Like Tom said the other band members are ALL on FIRE at this point and I think could contribute a whole bunch to the next album.  I was shocked at the role Bo took in the makeing Z (fucking awesome).  I can't wait to see them contribute even more, the guitar stuff Carl did on "I think I'm going to hell" and the sax in "Don Dante" are just a couple of signs of what that guy can bring to the table.  When they did "A Quick One" at Bonnaroo I was thinking, "My God they have to do something like this of thier own, I don't think The Who ever pulled that little mini opera off with as much passion and authority as it was delivered with that night.  They absolutly OWNED that song!!!  

I'm with Tom in that I think Z was very Precise and Clean (if you will) a really straight forward album with not as much intricate stuff to get into.  I would really really like to see the next record have the billions of subtelties an album like "At Dawn" offers.        

[cmccubbin25]

it is going to be very interesting to see what the next album is going to be like...i just have a feeling they are on the verge of blowing our minds (not that the previous 4 albums haven't!).

[TEO]

 What I Love about MMJ is that each album has a uniquely diff. sound and they could never be accused by any serious listener that all their stuff "sounds the same". I Love Z. Unexpected push in a modern direction. Cannot wait for the next push. This band is willing to take chances, exit their comfort zone, throw it all out there and see what happens.