Z

by My Morning Jacket

Overview

In 2004, a dreamy cover of "Rocket Man" concluded My Morning Jacket's first volume of rarities. Which was prescient, because it's Elton John that Jim James' songs for 2005's Z first bring to mind. From the wistful recollection of "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" to Honky Chateau's melodic and genre explorations, John's ability to mesh styles and take detours within his sturdy pop songwriting applies to James here, particularly in the expansive opener, "Wordless Chorus," or the initial happy-go-lucky lilt of "Off the Record." Z is My Morning Jacket's fourth full-length (and second for ATO), and it's the one that might finally jump-start the reaction that James' music has always deserved. It Still Moves from 2003 rightly enjoyed its accolades, but it meandered a little structurally, too, and sometimes got a little lost in its own reverb. On Z, MMJ's traditional influences are present -- the folk, blues, and country tones of John, Neil Young, and the Band shaded by contemporaries like Mercury Rev and Mark Kozelek. But songs like "Lay Low" and "It Beats for You" are crafted tighter, their sound-drenched keyboard lines meeting the percussion head on and riding meaningful flourishes of electric guitar. "Gideon" climaxes in James calling out throatily over twinkling piano and big chords borrowed from the Who, and "What a Wonderful Man" is a raucous, crashing tumble of unhinged crash cymbals, barroom piano, and mirthful yelping. Z is intuitive, intensely creative, classicist-minded, nearly flawless. It's music that's extruded from Jim James' id, and that's bearded, too. ~ Johnny Loftus

Product Details

Release Date:	10/04/2005
Label:	Ato
UPC:	0880882160128

Tracks

1. Wordless Chorus
2. It Beats 4 U
3. Gideon
4. What a Wonderful Man
5. Off the Record
6. Into the Woods
7. Anytime
8. Lay Low
9. Knot Comes Loose
10. Dondante

Album Credits

Performance Credits

My Morning Jacket   Primary Artist
Andrew Bird   Whistle (Human),Strings
M. Ward   Choir/Chorus,Guitar (Acoustic)

Technical Credits

Jim James   Audio Production,Mixing,Composer,Producer,Group Member
John Leckie   Audio Production,Mixing,Producer
Scott Serota   Assistant
Stephen Marcussen   Mastering
Danny Cash   Graphic Design
Clayton Scott   Assistant
Kathleen Lolley   Artwork
Guy Burwell   Artwork
Mike Fulkerson   Artwork
Steve Ralbovsky   A&R
Harvey Sorgen   Assistant
Matthew Cullen   Assistant
Nicolai Denchev   Artwork
Kevin Dean   Assistant
Bo Koster   Group Member
Carl Broemel   Group Member
Brandon Jones   Artwork
Patrick Hallahan   Group Member,Composer
Danny Clinch   Photography
Two-Tone Tommy   Composer,Group Member