There are some fine tracks on this album. Overall it is, however, something of a curate’s egg.
My Morning Jacket – Evil Urges
http://www.mymorningjacket.com/ http://www.roughtraderecords.com/ http://www.konkurrent.nl/
Until now, I had never knowingly listened to a song by Jim James’ band. I think it must be the chosen moniker. There is a litany of rubbish band-names out there, but ‘My Morning Jacket’ has always seemed almost ostentatiously crap. The title of the album and the cover art certainly don’t give a fair impression of the band, both suggestive of crappy emo or third rate metal.
On the album they utilise an eclectic range of influences. The Lynard Skynard and Eagles references are at least understandable in a band from Kentucky, but the seeming Prince fixation is somewhat more troubling. Of the tracks that feel the falsetto-drenched influence of Jehovah’s Littlest Witness it is the title track and album opener that works best. It manages to balance on the line between ridiculousness and decency, starting as rather funky strut and then rising to some fine dual guitar. The same cannot be said of Highly Suspicious, a daft concoction of stupid lyrics, over-the-top backing vocals and that falsetto that makes the track sound like a worse version of the Darkness. It feels like the band is trying far too hard to amuse and adds an unfortunate layer of cheese to proceedings.
For the most part it is the Southern Rock type tracks that are the album’s strongest suit. Aluminum Park is straight-ahead and unashamedly old-school rock number a ballsy, blue collar anthem. The Librarian is lovely; a charming, acoustically wrought reverie on the charms of a lady of a bookish bent, the ‘sweetest little maiden. Hidden underneath/ is the sexiest librarian’. Meanwhile Sec Walkin’ could be a lost track by James Taylor.
A notable exception to the rule is the two part Touch Me I’m Going To Scream. Part 1 recalls 10cc pop perfection with glorious vocal overdubs and a skittery, insistent drum part and synths that brings to mind some of Radiohead’s Kid A era experimentation, whilst part 2 throws euro-disco into the mix.
There are some fine tracks on this album. Overall it is, however, something of a curate’s egg. The problem being that a part as rotten as Highly Suspicious threatens to render the rest of the album unpalatable.
Words: Stuart Crosse