- Audio CD (17 Oct 2005)
- Number of Discs: 1
- Label: Bmg
- ASIN: B000BFHVJM
- Other Editions: Audio CD | Vinyl | MP3 Download
- Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 61,975 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
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Product Description
Review
Kentucky's My Morning Jacket have produced a quite wonderful fourth album. Disarmingly eclectic, Z ranges from full on rockers to sun kissed white boy soul.
The band can be found in the same ball park as The Flaming Lips - they clearly share a love of reverb, theremins and wowee zoowee sounds. But this record is more accessible than previous releases; there's even a chorus to be found in some of the tracks here. This might be explained by the fact that the record is co-produced by John Leckie (of Stone Roses and Radiohead fame).
Singer songwriter Jim James is obviously crucial to the band's sound. The fragile intensity of his soulful vocals dominate on tracks like "Lay Low" and "Dondante".
Stand out track "Off The Record" begins with a reggae pop fusion that's reminiscent of The Clash before merging into a mellotron fuelled prog session that would make Pink Floyd fume with envy.
Despite the experimentation and haunting guitar solos this is essentially a pop record, but one that will definitely keep your attention.
Epic and remarkably loveable. --Andrew McGregor
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
After the departure of a few band members, and the addition of a few new members, My Morning Jacket have returned with a new producer John Leckie (Radiohead’s The Bends). The result is Z, a work of such beauty and depth that it simply has to be considered as a contender for album of the year.
With a much more expansive sound, My Morning Jacket haven’t shunned their alt-country roots, merely expanded them in every direction. In every department this album shines. Jim Jame’s voice has always been one of the band’s strengths (think Neil Young meets Thom Yorke meets Jeff Buckley), and it’s a joy to hear his whooping falsetto over the outro of opening track Wordless Chorus. The addition of a keyboard player to the band’s ranks really becomes apparent on this track and elsewhere on the album.
What’s impressive is the range of sounds and genres here, all delivered to near-perfection. Gideon has shimmering guitars and lush melodies reminiscent of Radiohead at their best. Off The Record combines Beach Boys harmonies with ska and post-punk, before drifting off into a strangely ambient last few minutes. And then there’s Into The Woods, arguably the album’s highlight. Here, the band take the template of a folk song, and dress it up with a spooky carnival organ (always a good thing) and an oom-pah-pah rhythm. It opens to the best lyric on the album, “A kitten on fire/a baby in a blender/both sound as sweet as a night of surrender”. Sheer poetry.
As proven with their earlier works, these guys are fine musicians, and there’s plenty of riffy material here too. The epic Lay Low is the kind of classic rock even Pearl Jam seem incapable of these days. What A Wonderful Man is infectious in its optimism, like a more guitar-heavy Flaming Lips. Knot Comes Loose provides a few moments of calm reflection.
And then there’s the final track. Dondante is the album’s showpiece, a delicate but unsettling ballad at first, with James’ falsetto once again evoking comparisons with Jeff Buckley. Then the song bursts into life with a crashing chorus, then proceeding with a Pink Floyd-like explosion of guitars, before drawing the album to a gentle close.
It showcases another of the album’s strengths: its great depth. There are plenty of songs here with a sense of immediacy about them: What A Wonderful Man, Anytime, and then there are songs like Dondante, Gideon and It Beats 4 U whose intricacies just get better with every listen. For all of the comparisons with other artists made above, this is a genuinely original and innovative album which you’ll listen to for years to come.
Forget the supposed sensitive types of Coldplay and Keane. Along with the Arcade Fire, My Morning Jacket make them look very silly indeed.
With a much more expansive sound, My Morning Jacket haven’t shunned their alt-country roots, merely expanded them in every direction. In every department this album shines. Jim Jame’s voice has always been one of the band’s strengths (think Neil Young meets Thom Yorke meets Jeff Buckley), and it’s a joy to hear his whooping falsetto over the outro of opening track Wordless Chorus. The addition of a keyboard player to the band’s ranks really becomes apparent on this track and elsewhere on the album.
What’s impressive is the range of sounds and genres here, all delivered to near-perfection. Gideon has shimmering guitars and lush melodies reminiscent of Radiohead at their best. Off The Record combines Beach Boys harmonies with ska and post-punk, before drifting off into a strangely ambient last few minutes. And then there’s Into The Woods, arguably the album’s highlight. Here, the band take the template of a folk song, and dress it up with a spooky carnival organ (always a good thing) and an oom-pah-pah rhythm. It opens to the best lyric on the album, “A kitten on fire/a baby in a blender/both sound as sweet as a night of surrender”. Sheer poetry.
As proven with their earlier works, these guys are fine musicians, and there’s plenty of riffy material here too. The epic Lay Low is the kind of classic rock even Pearl Jam seem incapable of these days. What A Wonderful Man is infectious in its optimism, like a more guitar-heavy Flaming Lips. Knot Comes Loose provides a few moments of calm reflection.
And then there’s the final track. Dondante is the album’s showpiece, a delicate but unsettling ballad at first, with James’ falsetto once again evoking comparisons with Jeff Buckley. Then the song bursts into life with a crashing chorus, then proceeding with a Pink Floyd-like explosion of guitars, before drawing the album to a gentle close.
It showcases another of the album’s strengths: its great depth. There are plenty of songs here with a sense of immediacy about them: What A Wonderful Man, Anytime, and then there are songs like Dondante, Gideon and It Beats 4 U whose intricacies just get better with every listen. For all of the comparisons with other artists made above, this is a genuinely original and innovative album which you’ll listen to for years to come.
Forget the supposed sensitive types of Coldplay and Keane. Along with the Arcade Fire, My Morning Jacket make them look very silly indeed.
Key Moments: Gideon, What A Wonderful Man, Into The Woods, Dondante
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
So, this was my first foray into the world of My Morning Jacket. I was a little tentative at first, however after hearing the inimitable 'Wordless Chorus', my reservations were dashed, and quickly gave way to a heightened sense of anticipation.
As a whole, 'Z' was slightly underwhelming on first listen. Obviously, 'Wordless Chorus' was as elevating as ever, and the single 'Off The Record' also shone. However, it was only after multiple listens that the true mastery of MMJ shone through. Songs such as 'It Beats 4 U' and the two aforementioned tracks display the band's more accessible side, whilst retaining a unique blend of styles and interesting lyrical directions.
What really makes this album great are the sprawling, progressive tracks such as 'Dondante' and 'Lay Low', with the latter being lavish and jam band-esque, complete with wonderful, intricate guitar solos. 'Dondante' is a fitting end to a special album: an appropriately knotty and complicated masterpiece, with an explosive culmination.
The album is not faultless, though, and 'What A Wonderful Man' feels a little incongruous, and is a tad annoying, too. 'Into The Woods' is an atmospheric piece, but one with a decidedly niche sound. Although, to be truthful, much of the album is very abstract, so only those with an open musical mind would be advised to delve into the challenging world of 'Z'.
As a whole, 'Z' was slightly underwhelming on first listen. Obviously, 'Wordless Chorus' was as elevating as ever, and the single 'Off The Record' also shone. However, it was only after multiple listens that the true mastery of MMJ shone through. Songs such as 'It Beats 4 U' and the two aforementioned tracks display the band's more accessible side, whilst retaining a unique blend of styles and interesting lyrical directions.
What really makes this album great are the sprawling, progressive tracks such as 'Dondante' and 'Lay Low', with the latter being lavish and jam band-esque, complete with wonderful, intricate guitar solos. 'Dondante' is a fitting end to a special album: an appropriately knotty and complicated masterpiece, with an explosive culmination.
The album is not faultless, though, and 'What A Wonderful Man' feels a little incongruous, and is a tad annoying, too. 'Into The Woods' is an atmospheric piece, but one with a decidedly niche sound. Although, to be truthful, much of the album is very abstract, so only those with an open musical mind would be advised to delve into the challenging world of 'Z'.
19 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Sometimes, an album comes out and it's nothing less than event in your life. The music takes you for a ride. The time now has a soundtrack.
For you the albums that may come to mind will not be the ones I'm thinking of. Two recent ones for me that rival Z, and in some way share or reach a similar mood, are "OK Computer" and Flaming Lips' "Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots."
This album is that good. Whether it's the flight and power of "Wordless Chorus" or the depth and emotive punch of "Gideon" or the amazing "Dondante," My Morning Jacket can do it all.
John Leckie's production has brought out even more palpably the promise of If It Moves, and the addition of the new members have made the band more versatile and far-reaching.
Both are critical factors, yet the major reason for this great work is Jim James -My Morning Jacket's Wayne Coyne in every sense of the word- who writes some of the most beautiful and challenging songs I've heard in a while and in few other bands, and as a singer has come into his own.
This is one of the great albums of this year. It can easily make my top ten.
For you the albums that may come to mind will not be the ones I'm thinking of. Two recent ones for me that rival Z, and in some way share or reach a similar mood, are "OK Computer" and Flaming Lips' "Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots."
This album is that good. Whether it's the flight and power of "Wordless Chorus" or the depth and emotive punch of "Gideon" or the amazing "Dondante," My Morning Jacket can do it all.
John Leckie's production has brought out even more palpably the promise of If It Moves, and the addition of the new members have made the band more versatile and far-reaching.
Both are critical factors, yet the major reason for this great work is Jim James -My Morning Jacket's Wayne Coyne in every sense of the word- who writes some of the most beautiful and challenging songs I've heard in a while and in few other bands, and as a singer has come into his own.
This is one of the great albums of this year. It can easily make my top ten.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Bloody great
Once in a blue moon albums like this turn up, they get better on each listen.
Don't be a slowmo buy this at once.
Don't be a slowmo buy this at once.
Published 11 months ago by Gary
Kentucky fried pysch-country
Over four albums My Morning Jacket have fashioned a sound that embraces widescreen emotionalism with rootsy Americana, pyschedelia and alt-country. Read more
Published on 7 May 2008 by Demob Happy
Great but not their best
Z is a great album! MMJ seem only to ever get better even after having changed band members. Their core sound has not differed and the music is awesome. Read more
Published on 20 May 2007 by Sofia Omer
I Put On My Morning Jacket And Headed Off To 'Z'
I came across this album by sheer accident never heard of them before, while I was shopping for a different CD I see the album cover of this and I thought it was so cute I asked... Read more
Published on 19 Aug 2006 by Phill
Not quite a classic...
MMJ's latest outing [with the new line up] whilst not disappointing contains [for me anyway] a couple of real clunkers, which marr an otherwise cracking effort:
What a... Read more
What a... Read more
Published on 5 April 2006 by colin
MMJ get even better
Reverb-loving Kentucky My Morning Jacket were doing fine in their country-rock niche, but they’ve gone and progressed anyway. Read more
Published on 4 Nov 2005 by Mike Mantin
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