The Oklahoma Daily Online Review

[LaurieBlue]

http://www.oudaily.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2005/10/03/4341e4efdf9da

Artist: My Morning Jacket

Label: ATO

Staff Rating: B+

    My Morning Jacket is now, for good or ill, the Jim James show. After keyboardist Danny Cash (a descendant of Johnny) and lead guitarist Johnny Quaid exited, it was left to see how much of a leader James really was.

    With "Z," James' vocals take center stage and the direction of the band seems appropriately pointed sky high. The album is entirely focused on taking chances with songs that focus on target elements and less on jamming.

    On "Wordless Chorus," James' vocals stand naked amidst production washes that sound like jet streams while howling at the moon as only Prince can. It's an exhilarating listen. "It Beats For You" thrives on a solid bass line but lacks direction; but steady rockers like "Anytime" redeem any such misstep.

    The biggest and most fun leap for My Morning Jacket happens with "Off the Record." The band has played this one live for a while and the record version is a three part opus — part Hawaii Five-O prank, part indie-pop and part Air electronica burn-out. "Into the Woods" has the keyboard effects found in a carnival full of undesirable clowns and requires curious, multiple listens.

    Jim James proves with "Z" that his band can be funkier than anything on the R&B charts even if it means abandoning the country rock aesthetic that launched My Morning Jacket to the stars. But with the outlandish ambitions of "Z" it looks like the boys from Kentucky plan on staying there.

-DM