My Morning Jacket is Weird

[vespachick]

This is so depressing... I wrote a pretty lengthy response, but got sidetracked and ended up getting drunk with Rock Band and drunk bowling at Bama Lanes at around 2AM. Came home, got tackled in the lawn on a freshly stitched leg, came inside, cut off my PC without even looking at what I was doing beforehand, passed out.

Jim has thrown a ballsy, goofy track on every single record he's ever done. And I love that.

I'm just sitting here thinking, man, this is one cool post, but I have no idea what the hell is going here. But I love you anyway. Probably I should turn off Wobegon.  Or however its spelled.  How old is this guy any\way?  My dog rules.   aldjfoiue.

[The DARK]

Dont know if it was posted or not...BUT these 5 videos I found extremely interesting.

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/20010530/album_preview_my_morning_jackets_evil_urges

I think his description of "Highly Suspicious" gives us a clue about his songwriting style. He says that lots of his lyrics have nothing to do with him at all. And, come to think of it, that may apply to some of his seemingly most personal lyrics. For example, the descriptions in I Needed It Most were probably made up one day when he was randomly thinking about a "lovely woman who just wants her mind back again". So he can use this style of songwriting for funny and serious lyrics (or in many cases, a strange combination of the two). Of course, he doesn't have to make up all his lyrics; Dondante was based on the death of his real friend.

So why the backlash for the lyrics of Evil Urges? Like Tom said, a lot of it has to do with the loss of abstraction. Most of the lyrics here are very descriptive, especially Librarian. The ones that allow the most room for interpretation seem to be the most successful among the older fans so far, like Smokin From Shootin and Touch Me Pt. 2. In the earlier songs, you really needed to think about each line to get something out of the lyrics (if they even meant anything; Jim said that They Ran has no meaning). I don't think that most of us are complaining about the new sonic adventures, we're just wanting the lyrics to be universal.

[bluntmaster]

I think the weirdness has been there all along, we just keep getting new sides of it, and new ways to enjoy it. I think the key is understanding that it's not Jim screwing with us, but it's him having fun and figuring out how to get what's inside his head out.

said it yourself dude.  a couple weeks ago when the Dali Lama was in the US he did a thing on compassion and it was webcast, Dave Matthews was one of the panelist and asked if music could be used as a form of compassion, the Dali Lama basically said yes but the way he described music was cool.  he kept forming this invisible sphere with his hands, describing music, art, all these forms of expression as "perspective experience".  the idea's in your head are just as meaningful if you are in a state of meditation but the ability to truly take those thoughts and express them directly seems like something jim is really good at doing.  always putting a little twist on things or enhancement, like a big tree growing with a bunch of branches continually growing and stretching in all directions.

[ManNamedTruth]

I

 always putting a little twist on things or enhancement, like a big tree growing with a bunch of branches continually growing and stretching in all directions.

Thats actually close to how he describes it, like a "fetus that grows".

[bluntmaster]

for sure, he's definitely thinking about the subconscious effects the songs have on people, without a doubt.   transferring a weird feeling he gets probably in his gut or head or whole body or something and hopes you get it, and if it means something to you it does, if it doesn't it doesn't.   but I think intent is to please.  did carl or someone say they "ask a lot but not too much".  and that's fucking cool with me, I like surprises especially when they're pumped up and aren't planning on slowing down.  

I really hope if they go the radiohead route studio wise they don't put as much time as radiohead did between albums.  go the neil young/frank zappa route and just put out a shit load of music, build a HUGE catalog and just rock until the world blows up.

[RedPatokaSea]

So why the backlash for the lyrics of Evil Urges? Like Tom said, a lot of it has to do with the loss of abstraction. Most of the lyrics here are very descriptive, especially Librarian. The ones that allow the most room for interpretation seem to be the most successful among the older fans so far, like Smokin From Shootin and Touch Me Pt. 2.

I'm not sure if the question is directed at my post in particular, but I'll go ahead and speak for myself.  It's not at all that I find the lyrics dull or uninspiring.  And it's not necessairly disappointing to me that they've become somewhat more sensical either.  In fact, I think the lyrics have relatively little to do with my feelings about the album.  

What I find missing is the ethereal and haunting sound that has always defined My Morning Jacket in my mind.  By that, I mean the sound that lures me into a mellifluous trance; the sound that makes the world disappear.    

I agree with the observations that "Smokin From Shootin" and "Touch Me Part 2" are most like Z, and I enjoy both songs immensely.  However, as a fan of many years, I actually consider "Librarian" to be the pinnacle of the new album.  I'm not sure exactly how to interpret those opinions in light of this thread, but I suppose it's more than lyrics that has me posting Z > EU.  

As I said before, although the album as a whole is not my favorite, I still feel incredibly fortunate to be graced by the magic of MMJ once again.  No album as diverse as this one could please every fan start to finish.  It's simply going in too many directions.  Luckily, there's probably something for everyone.  

:)

[Angry Ewok]

I really hope if they go the radiohead route studio wise they don't put as much time as radiohead did between albums.  go the neil young/frank zappa route and just put out a shit load of music, build a HUGE catalog and just rock until the world blows up.

I'm down with a huge catalog, as long as it's of quality music... Just don't go the KISS route, in other words,

;D

[bluntmaster]

I really hope if they go the radiohead route studio wise they don't put as much time as radiohead did between albums.  go the neil young/frank zappa route and just put out a shit load of music, build a HUGE catalog and just rock until the world blows up.

I'm down with a huge catalog, as long as it's of quality music... Just don't go the KISS route, in other words,

;D

haaha if it ever gets to the point where I'm contemplating between buying a jim or carl doll I might have to retire from the band

[The DARK]

So why the backlash for the lyrics of Evil Urges? Like Tom said, a lot of it has to do with the loss of abstraction. Most of the lyrics here are very descriptive, especially Librarian. The ones that allow the most room for interpretation seem to be the most successful among the older fans so far, like Smokin From Shootin and Touch Me Pt. 2.

I'm not sure if the question is directed at my post in particular, but I'll go ahead and speak for myself.  It's not at all that I find the lyrics dull or uninspiring.  And it's not necessairly disappointing to me that they've become somewhat more sensical either.  In fact, I think the lyrics have relatively little to do with my feelings about the album.  

What I find missing is the ethereal and haunting sound that has always defined My Morning Jacket in my mind.  By that, I mean the sound that lures me into a mellifluous trance; the sound that makes the world disappear.    

I agree with the observations that "Smokin From Shootin" and "Touch Me Part 2" are most like Z, and I enjoy both songs immensely.  However, as a fan of many years, I actually consider "Librarian" to be the pinnacle of the new album.  I'm not sure exactly how to interpret those opinions in light of this thread, but I suppose it's more than lyrics that has me posting Z > EU.  

As I said before, although the album as a whole is not my favorite, I still feel incredibly fortunate to be graced by the magic of MMJ once again.  No album as diverse as this one could please every fan start to finish.  It's simply going in too many directions.  Luckily, there's probably something for everyone.  

:)

It wasn't directed at you.  ;)

But I understand where you're coming from...the sounds of Z seem to me to be far more mysterious than Evil Urges. Of course, I haven't heard the record yet, these are just my early observations from the new songs.