My Morning Jacket is Weird

[tomEisenbraun]

I think I've stumbled upon something. Or maybe we've all known it all along, just couldn't quite put our thumbs on it. Anyways, prepare yourself for a decent sized post.

I've read a lot of people's thoughts on the new album. I don't feel bad about it because I've heard most of the material live, and it's only gotten my tastebuds itching for the album when it drops. Seriously cannot wait.

A lot of people's thoughts are odd, though. They can't get their head around the new album, lyrics don't rub them right, something is off. That's a bummer, I thought, because this band makes such beautiful music. It sucks that people are having a hard time getting behind the music.

But BH started a thread the other day about "Rollin' Back," and I decided to give it another listen yesterday, because I love that song. But I figured, this is a frickin' It Still Moves kind of day, so I went through the whole thing from the beginning to get there. And when I got home today and let "One In The Same" wrap up while I was sitting in my car, it dawned on me. This band is frickin' weird.

Not in a bad way at all, but Jim's lyrics are something of a very different caliber. Reading the article that compared him to Neil Young was good, because it got me thinking about the nature of his words. He doesn't follow any formula, and he doesn't go out of his way to define what he means for us most of the time--we're meant to pick that up on our, certainly--let the music define itself for us. But what are we supposed to do about songs like "Into the Woods"?

In all honesty, that one always puzzled me. Someone else recently said that that's the only track they skip on Z, and someone responded to it being one of their favorites, and also having the most to say on the album. It's weird, yes. And I knew it had something to say, so why wasn't I getting it?

Back to "One in the Same"-- the "motorcycle" that keeps showing up in that song is so damn out of place almost, but the beauty of the song makes up for it, and I'd never considered it. But today when I was listening, I noticed that what Jim is doing is using something very odd to get our attention and to make that song really his. And he's done it all along.

"Your ass, it draws me in like a Bermuda highway"

"Somebody stole my lighter..."

"You always were an asset, you never were a drawback"

"The Christmas girl who lives inside your womb"

all of "If It Smashes Down"

the first verse of "One Big Holiday"

Take a listen to these, I guarantee that if you look for it, you'll start to hear the way Jim makes lyrics is a lot different than most other singers. He's thoughtful, but he's got a lot of his personality in them--he works in these little quirks that most people wouldn't pen down and try to sing, but he believes in it, and that's the way he thinks and that's what makes this his music. So why didn't we really pick up on it so much before Z?

I think for the most part, with Z, we saw the reverb stripped away and his words really put at the forefront of the album. Not to say they were never important before, but in Z, they're just so...there. With nothing covering up, nothing to hide them or to apologize for what he's saying. He's gotten confident enough to just sing and let it be and let the listener make what they will of the words. That's not bad at all. That's progression. That's Jim really getting the ability to say  what it is he wants to say, in that quirky way that he does that's really unique. More of the odd connections, and the lyrics that strike you as odd. Maybe Z was different for a lot of us because it was so NEW. I think a good deal of us here came in after It Still Moves was already out, and we were being introduced to this canon of the band's work with the first three albums, and their next efforts seemed a bit more subjective to our opinions. I don't know, but Z had a very different feel to it. Maybe because a lot of us anticipated it, rather than discovered it. I speak for myself here--if you resonate, cool. If you don't let me know--I really want to hear your thoughts here.

So what's up with Evil Urges, then? Jim taking further strides with his sense of humor. Making an album that's meant to be fun, from what I've heard of it, but also frustrated, and also weird. His comments on religion certainly shine through on the title track--you've got to wonder how it will play into an album heavily influenced by soul music while Jim has been wrestling with trying to figure out spirituality and feeling so disconnected from religion. Makes for an interesting dichotomy, right?

So we've got to figure out how to take Jim. The more I see of him, and the more I hear him talk, the more I think we're seeing an interesting side of him. I think he wrestles with some stuff that a lot of us have in common with him: spirituality, what's right in this crazy world, love, trying to find the answers. But I think the dude also needs to have fun, and, if you've paid attention to releases like the Demos disc from last year, you find a lot of that odd humor wrapped up in all of it. I don't know if it's sort of a lens to look at it all through that helps the music keep a certain perfect distance for him, but I think that its present all over his work in such a way where we can't discount its presence when it's really apparent because its been subdued in previous albums.

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. Not to say I know him or want to psychoanalyze him as a stranger, but I think it's really worth taking a look at the back catalog and finding his really odd turns of phrase in order to understand the future catalog where his odd wit and sometimes-uncomfortably stark imagery show up. People have complained about some lines being too obvious, or too defined--I think we've had that all along in certain places, we just didn't pick up on it so much because we were growing to love the band's back catalog and missed it before we got used to it. At least I think I did.

All thoughts would be terrific, because I think I'm headed toward something with all these words, but I still don't have a finger on it firmly. Anyone want to help out here?

[Chico]

"Your ass, it draws me in like a Bermuda highway"

The first 20 times I heard this I heard "Your eyes, they draw me in"...  

When I finally realized what he was actually saying, it really bugged me for about 10 listens.

After that, I accepted the quirkiness, and embraced it.  Its this quirkiness and honesty that makes them special.  

Tom, whatever you can't quite put your finger on I can't quite put mine on either...  I can't wait to hear the new album!  My favorite jacket seems to be the stuff that takes some time to get used to.

[Nikkogino]

Good post.

[picklecock]

You write well...

find a mentor and thrive!

[BH]

It is a pleasure to read your posts Tom, if only for just how well they are put together.  I know my babble doesn't flow like that! :-[

I like what you said about Jim always wanting to be fun with it and not get too serious.   I mean we all love the fact that the lyrics are very mysterious, and when it comes to Jim, I think part of the reason he keeps it vague is that he really just wants to portray the sound, the music, the feeling and emotion.  Obviously I jump on TWTHS as the "theme" of the band all the time, which I know is just one song, but it fits so well with this subject.

Now here is the point, this is what is so great about this band.  Think about this.  No matter what style, or pace of Evil Urges.  No matter if it sounds a little like Prince, Neil Young, Radiohead, John Prine or The Flaming Lips.  No matter if it's about God or the devil.

IT WILL BE FULL OF FEELING AND EMOTION.

IT WILL BE TOM, CARL, PATRICK, BO AND JIM PLAYING INSTRUMENTS.

AND IT WILL BE SPECTACULAR.

[ManNamedTruth]

"Your ass, it draws me in like a Bermuda highway"

The first 20 times I heard this I heard "Your eyes, they draw me in"...  

o hear the new album!  My favorite jacket seems to be the stuff that takes some time to get used to.

i thought he said "your acid draws me in"

[vespachick]

I LOVE IT, Him ,You, and Me. Full stop.  :P

[Jellyfish]

I find some of the lyrics to be very Neil-like which is ok with me. ;)

[Wardog]

...at least none of them are anti-Bush lyrics.  Those have ran their course. over and over.

Great post Tom

[Love Dogg]

So we've got to figure out how to take Jim. The more I see of him, and the more I hear him talk, the more I think we're seeing an interesting side of him. I think he wrestles with some stuff that a lot of us have in common with him: spirituality, what's right in this crazy world, love, trying to find the answers. But I think the dude also needs to have fun, and, if you've paid attention to releases like the Demos disc from last year, you find a lot of that odd humor wrapped up in all of it. I don't know if it's sort of a lens to look at it all through that helps the music keep a certain perfect distance for him, but I think that its present all over his work in such a way where we can't discount its presence when it's really apparent because its been subdued in previous albums.

I think the two key elements of and for Jim's writings are: a) He doesn't take himself too seriously, and b) He's not afraid to put it on paper and sing it.  

It's so refreshing to see (hear) someone do that.  And he also incorporates his personal nuances and idiosyncrasies that, most likely developed from the regional influences from which he grew up.  Like on "Into The Woods" when he says, "...the hottest kind of lover, that I ever seen...EEEEEE.  One who choose..."  That "EEEEEE" is totally language that he and a buddy of his made up.  That's what is so good about it.  He doesn't hold back what HE needs to say, just because of language barriers or regional misunderstandings...and it's up to you to project yourself (or try to) to where he is, and always keep in mind that he is a bullshitter and has a very dry sense of humor--both right down my alley by the way.  If you can unlock the door and project yourself to where he was (is) when he wrote or sings a song, then you will see it for what it is...and sometimes, maybe it is not much more that a thought you or I would have sitting on a park bench or stopped at a red light.  Which maes it reachable.

Just a simple man with complex ideas.

[Love Dogg]

BTW, Tom, nice read!  I really liked your post.

[Jaimoe]

I've always found some of Jim's lyrics to be intentionally absurd, but you can never call them pretentious or preachy either.

[Dorothy_Mantooth]

Jim told me he was inspired by the lyrics of the Jonas Brothers

[Angry Ewok]

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.

I was saying something to the effect that I love how Jim doesn't appear to be the kind of artist who is obsessed with keeping up an illusion... To me, so many musicians these days are trying to come off as authentic to something - and they want to maintain that throughout their career, despite the fact that they change - they become wealthy, they get women - they change, but they want their music to reflect the same sort of woes as their debut.

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

[songdiver]

I still haven't nailed down why I've had so many religious experiences with Jim, and can't say why his lyrics are so effective, even when he uses so few, such as the song "if it smashes down."  If you just look at the lyrics without listening to it, you might not think the song willl be very amazing, but somehow the song blows my mind apart, and when Jim sings those very simple lyrics, they come to life.  

And I agree, some of the lyrics are very weird, and it makes you rush to the lyric book with a surprised look.

come on, "what madonna said really helped, she said boy, you need to learn how to express yourself."  WHAT?  A madonna reference?  But somehow, it's funny, and he makes it sound so natural, it's hard to look at it as weird, and the quirkiness just adds to some of the songs.

I always go back to the same thing when describing why I love Jim's lyrics so much, "it's just the way that he sings."  I do like most of his lyrics, but the overall message is in his voice and melody, and harmonies (with himself!!).

[Jaimoe]

And Jim is a storyteller and some of those stories just happen to be weird. So what if his lyrics are strange and funny? Pete Townshend wrote some of the weirdest and funniest songs in rock and he has been embraced for it. And Zappa made a career out of being weird. I'lk take weird over safe and boring anytime.

[InTheZone]

"Your ass, it draws me in like a Bermuda highway"

The first 20 times I heard this I heard "Your eyes, they draw me in"...  

o hear the new album!  My favorite jacket seems to be the stuff that takes some time to get used to.

i thought he said "your acid draws me in"

me too, except i thought it was "the acid draws me in"

[Wardog]

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

[RedPatokaSea]

MMJ is unique.  

The lyrics are something else, as is their music ... otherworldly.  It transports me.  Getting lost in the voice of Jim James, just existing, while time melts away, it's a chance to let go ... that, to me, is samadhi.    

That's it ... that's what is missing on Evil Urges.  The album has grown on me tremendously over 20-30 listens, but yesterday I went back and listened to Z and It Still Moves, and I realized that this album will never do what those albums do for me.  The dreamy, mystical atmosphere that takes me to - that place - is sorely lacking.  This album leaves me in the present ... there is no "Rollin' Back" or "One in the Same", no "Lay Low" or "Dondante".  

Don't get me wrong, there is still some great stuff in Evil Urges, but there isn't a single track that will break into the class of exceptionally beautiful songs that come to mind when someone asks me what it is that I love so much about My Morning Jacket.  

[evilPaauwe]

jims lyrics are pretty quirky arent they! i dig'em.