My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges Review
Posted by James Palm on 06.14.2008
The Louisvillian troubadours return to attempt a follow-up to their breakout album, Z. Judging from these results though, perhaps MMJ were trying too hard.
Many people muse over the exact date of the death of Metallica - I'm aware that I'm not reviewing a Metallica album, but trust me, I get to the point eventually. In the eyes of many, Cliff Burton's tragic death in 1986 was the end of the metal militia, but I believe their downfall begun when they agreed to work with producer Bob Rock. There was a phrase he used when interviewed about working on the Black Album, which baffles me to this day. Rock's apparent goals for the album were to try and "capture the band's live sound". Just what he intended to capture apart from piercing feedback and tired vocals I'll never know. Over time I came to realize this phrase is generally used to prepare fans for a drastic surprise on the new album. Now, the 'Live Sound' angle is being touted again, this time by Jim James, head dude behind My Morning Jacket.
If you were a fan of the band's excellent 2005 album Z, then you will definitely find surprises galore within Evil Urges. The eponymous opener itself is a cavalcade of sounds, funk mixed with the Southern psychedelia of their previous efforts. Clearly the band is taking us on a journey across new frontiers - new for the band, but not for music itself. MMJ seem happy to skip through extinct genres which we now label with condescending titles like 'adult contemporary'. Given they were once renowned for heavy use of reverb on vocals, this move seems peculiar. Especially during "Sec Walkin", when their attempt at Jackson Browne comes off more like Lionel Richie. This song also contains the cheesiest moment in music I have heard this year, one minute and thirteen seconds in.; harmonies during the bridge feature the band accompanying the word 'sparkle' beyond Gibbs brothers proportions.
Though the level of resemblance to the music featured in box sets sold by fading stars at 3am is strong, MMJ attempt to square the ledger by sparingly drawing from more credible influences. "Two Halves" is an unashamed throwback to the whimsy of youth, and from their own youths the band pulls surf grooves straight from the Beach Boys. These are the Evil Urges MMJ speak of, that boyhood dream to have fun making music and not be defined by or locked into one genre. It's an admirable ambition, if only the band could control its experimentation. "Highly Suspicious" is evidence that James has been listening to far too much Prince in his downtime. This bizarre techno funk fusion seems too ridiculous; so much so that it must be ironic. Surely.
All hope is not lost for the future for MMJ fans, as the band hasn't forgotten how to play music typical of this century. Creepy little lovesong "Touch Me I'm Going To Scream" is exactly what made Z the indie favourite it was. The market was saturated with Interpol clones, and along came some dirty Southerners who gave the formula a twist; big city basslines sparring with slide guitar blues. That sound is heard to some extent on Evil Urges, but the more traditional MMJ songs are separated by half an hour of nostalgic tunes. To be blunt, the middle of this album feels like a black hole, and once we are sucked into its vortex, time itself moves backwards, and we find ourselves trapped inside genres past. Miraculously, we are saved at the last minute, as the end of the album finds us back in the present, and while things aren't back to normal, at least its better than nothingness.
If James believes he has crafted an album that encapsulates MMJ's live performance, then from the basis of Evil Urges, MMJ's shows must get really boring in the middle and make up for it in the last twenty minutes. The sudden appearance of an electric guitar kick starts "Aluminium Park", a welcome jolt to the system. "Remnants" quickly follows, and you start to feel baffled. Which songs are they serious about? It's a difficult question in that there are positives and negatives to both sides. Everyone loves a cheesy song, and everyone loves a bit of rock. MMJ don't seem to have found the perfect balance yet, but "Touch Me I'm Going To Scream Part 2" steals a fine idea used earlier this year by the Black Keys in recording the same song in two different styles; Part 1 earlier was the gloomy rendition. Part 2, however, gets very kooky, Patrick Hallahan's dance beat keeping things sounding new-wave until James and Carl Bromel's shimmering guitars give the track an ominous tone, before the band finally harmonizes successfully in a musical explosion mid-way through the eight minute epic.
So MMJ can still play new and interesting music. What lets the good tracks on Evil Urges down are the many bewildering outings to outdated genres. "I'm Amazed" and "Look At You" seem like backward steps in an already distinct career. James crams his 'live' album with too many toilet breaks for the 'show' to be anything remarkable. "Thank You Too" cannot even qualify for the cognizant irony that "Sec Walkin" barely achieves, but that intention is out of place in 2008. MMJ knew they had to experiment, but they overshot the mark and lost control. It remains to be seen if the band realize their urges were evil after all.
The Hit - "Evil Urges" The Encore - "Touch Me I'm Going To Scream Part 2" The Wah? - Everything from "I'm Amazed" to "Look At You"
The 411: The main question here is "Why?" Why would MMJ feel the need to tinker with their formula to this extent? I wager that many fans will be alienated by this album, or at least the middle section. Evil Urges is not a complete loss, however many songs will never again see the light of day. I suggest waiting for the new Peter Bjorn & John album(s) later this year.
