Dear half,
A particular song? Nah, i think my remark was more of a gut feeling/reaction to MMJ's onstage presence live and soundwise = bombastic multi-guitar jams and masses of long hair (this was the pre-Z version of MMJ).
Although i do like LS music in general, i grew up hearing LS nearly everywhere in a small town and i got sick of the culture glorifying them fast. That's why i probably sounded negative. It's unfair to the band itself, i know but i can't help it. At least i don't cringe now when i hear LS like i did back then.
I always wanted to track down some of those old pals and play them some Uncle Tupelo. They'd probably hate it but who knows...maybe not.
o.k.
your response is appreciated. this will all be noted in my MMJ report.
They've always reminded me of some offspring of Lynyrd Skynyrd and hippie jam bands ... two things i don't like at all and yet somehow, i like MMJ. Go figure
anyone or damaged son: when he/you mentioned lynyrd skynyrd, did you have a particular song or album in mind?
see, truth be told, i dont really see that LS reference as a negative.
1/2
Dear half,
A particular song? Nah, i think my remark was more of a gut feeling/reaction to MMJ's onstage presence live and soundwise = bombastic multi-guitar jams and masses of long hair (this was the pre-Z version of MMJ).
Although i do like LS music in general, i grew up hearing LS nearly everywhere in a small town and i got sick of the culture glorifying them fast. That's why i probably sounded negative. It's unfair to the band itself, i know but i can't help it. At least i don't cringe now when i hear LS like i did back then.
I always wanted to track down some of those old pals and play them some Uncle Tupelo. They'd probably hate it but who knows...maybe not.
They've always reminded me of some offspring of Lynyrd Skynyrd and hippie jam bands ... two things i don't like at all and yet somehow, i like MMJ. Go figure
anyone or damaged son: when he/you mentioned lynyrd skynyrd, did you have a particular song or album in mind?
see, truth be told, i dont really see that LS reference as a negative.
I did see some live MMJ on fuse tv this weekend live from Bonnaroo, sounded good.. They did a killer version of One Big Holiday with Kirk Hammett of Metallica!
The Louisville NPR talking heads are nonstop in their praise of MMJ. I'm glad to see others aren't impressed with them. I find their music unlistenable due to it's blandness and their love of reverb vocals.
Consider My Morning Jacket — the very name has become a mark of quality as the Louisville outfit has snuggled into its role as rock band du jour for the “All Things Considered”-and-New Yorker crowd.
Classic guitar rock nerds who ended up indie rock scene-makers, MMJ’s fifth album is a very clear next step move, the aesthetic progression after the 2005 breakthrough “Z.” “Evil Urges,” their fifth album, is their futzing-around-with-other-genres record and as has been widely reported, their favorite new sound is Prince. (And really, who doesn’t want to be Prince?)
MMJ leader Jim James’ voice is still closer to (his obvious idol) Richard Manuel, his music closer to Crazy Horse guitar rock than the purple one’s voice or funk, but he’s able to rock a Princely squeak on the sharp title track, which assumes most evil urges are merely desires we’ve been encouraged not to indulge.
But it’s “Highly Suspicious” that longs to be a “Sign O’ the Times” B-side. James stretches his falsetto as far as it will go in the service of lyrics such as “peanut butter pudding surprise!” The Muppet-grunting on the chorus puts tongue firmly in cheek and even the guitar solo tries for Revolution-style overkill. Impressive, frankly.
In fact, the first four songs are uniformly excellent. In addition to the above, “Touch Me I’m Going To Scream,” with its electronic smears, sounds like a well-meaning Wilco tribute, but works anyway. ‘I’m Amazed” is their modernized Southern-rock at its catchiest.
James’ metier is also rock at its most medium-soft. A tendency towards the dull has been MMJ’s Achilles heel; even the band’s spaciest guitar jams feel faintly restrained. “Sec Walkin” tries to find Nixon-era soul and somehow ends up at the corner of Fogleberg in downtown Atlanta Rhythm Section.
It’s to his credit that James never quite comes off as smug, exactly, but there’s something suspect about his awe-shucks vibe. Acoustic guitar plucking out the melody, He sings about the local nerd-hot “Librarian” (“Take off those glasses and let down your hair for me”) as if he discovered the look himself.
But his many fans will forgive him. In tense and uncertain times, “Evil Urges” makes listeners feel good about themselves. That’s more than enough for most.
radiohead however are the real deal. i have buried myself in their catalog as of late and absolutely love their work. when i first listened to the bends i just sat there and wondered how the hell i missed it (even if i was eighteen)?
they did a basement session show on MHD and it blew my fucking mind. i think the reason they make an avant garde type music now is because it is one of their strengths.
Last edited by camaroheadus on Thu Jun 12, 2008 12:08 pm, edited 2 times in total.
calexico wrote:I dunno, that Oasis is better than Radiohead thing is just laughable.
Yeah, i gotta agree. Despite my Radiohead harumph, The Bends or OK Computer on their own stand over the entire Oasis collection. I do hope Radiohead (and Wilco ) floor me again one day!
In the meantime, i'll enjoy Johnny Greenwood's score for There Will Be Blood. Now i want a milkshake.
I dunno, that Oasis is better than Radiohead thing is just laughable.
I have been a fan of Radiohead from the days they were called On A Friday and have seen them many times. As a complete arc of music I think that In Rainbows is stupendous and probably their crowning achievement, certainly of their later work.