Album Review: Z

It Still Moves was so fun to review, so why not do it again? My Morning Jacket fans, rejoice! Wherever you are! You're out there somewhere, right? Yeah!

If you don't know My Morning Jacket, you should. Alt rock/indie/psychedelic rock/folk/a little bit of everything converges upon one band from Kentucky that rocks the live stage every time I see them. Give MMJ a listen, starting with Z.

Jumping right into it:

Wordless Chorus - 4:12

Hard to believe they opened this album with Wordless Chorus. It feels like it could be a closer, and a damn good one at that. The star of the show is the organ, emphasizing beats 3 and 4 with a simple triplet pattern backed by the drumset. Eight measures per phrase, four chord changes, two measures per chord. It's a simple formula repeated for the entirety of the song, but the beauty of Wordless Chorus lies in the escalation. The verses are quiet, supported by that subtle organ and percussion that changes just slightly as new layers of guitar come and go. Jim James and co. bless us with three choruses, all of them wordless (obviously). I won't try to explain what the chorus sounds like, but the vocals soar over the rhythm, showing off James' unreal range. It's a beautiful track, short, sweet, and remarkably creative; it's hard to make a compelling song, but it's far more difficult when you don't have any lyrics for half the track.

We are the innovators

They are the imitators

C'mon, hey, don't you know how we started

We forgot about love, but weren't broken-hearted

Knock it all you want for its simplicity. The songwriting is rock-solid, and the lyrics, while slightly confusing, remain entertaining and inspiring, in an odd kind of way. And that's not even considering how amazing this song is live.

It Beats 4 U - 3:46

Another relatively short track, but much more complex than the last. It Beats 4 U (or It Beats For You, as it's titled on streaming services) is chock full of layers. The percussion is, by far, the most integral piece of this track, relying on a driving rhythm composed of stick clicks on each beat and offbeat drumming with drumrolls in the second measure of each phrase. Acoustic guitar supports the chord changes during each verse and remains during the chorus, joined by a high-pitched synth and stronger guitar in the background, but the drum set persists, unrelenting, stick clicks and all.

Who could see and not believe

The heart that beats the wavelength

And who could say but never do

Things they've said to someone who

Through all that's been and all will be

So in line so thoughtfully

In tune with you, so in time for me

New thoughts arrive, so in time for me

It's hard to tell without listening to it, but there's a super smooth transition straight into the chorus when the synth takes over the top register; it's brilliantly constructed, and it suits It Beats 4 U perfectly by keeping the same drive prevalent throughout the track without sacrificing any intensity in order to switch to a different section. This track plays very much like one continuous verse, even if that's not the case. Somehow, It Beats 4 U gets overlooked on Z.

Gideon - 3:39

MMJ is saving up all its track time for something big at the end, perhaps? Regardless, Gideon is another quick jaunt, but, once again, not without some excellent musicianship. MMJ ropes you in slow builds; that's generally the formula for their success, if you can find a formula for them. Gideon is about as prototypical as it gets. There's a simple kickdrum-cymbal beat and a basic guitar melody prefacing James' vocal entry, which has more power than usual, perhaps, in Gideon.

Gideon, what have you told us at all?

Make a sound, come down off the wall

Religion should appeal to the hearts of the young.

Who are you? What have you become?

You animal

Come on

What does this remind you of?

James establishes the religious imagery early in this song, a common theme in many tracks but perhaps not as obvious as it is here. My interpretation is that of a criticism of Gideon's portrayal of religion, whether that's Gideon as an organization or as an individual. Maybe Gideon is seen as preying on the young to support his religion, or maybe he isn't giving the youth a chance to adopt it? Either way, Gideon sounds like the culmination of many pent-up frustrations with a failing system.

Gideon is one big crescendo, steadily growing from the very beginning to a massive expansion on the main guitar theme supported by strong piano and percussion. It's such an evocative track, my favorite on the album for a long time.

What a Wonderful Man - 2:25

This song feels like kind of a throwaway in comparison to other tracks on Z, but there are some fun elements worth noting. It's loud the whole time, unique for an MMJ track; there's lots of screeching, not quite as unique but still interesting. At 2:25, it's really just a transition into the vibe of the next track. What a Wonderful Man is about a man, presumably, that James has a difficult time fully unpacking. He's wonderful, sensible, sensuous, and independent according to the song. It feels religious in a way, sung from the perspective of a loving throng paying tribute to their leader, but not enough context is provided in the lyrics to really dive deep into it. It's fun, but not on the same level as most other tracks on Z.

Off The Record - 5:34

MMJ gets a bit expansive once again on Off The Record, one of their most unique songs to date. The percussion feels almost reggae-inspired, with a fundamentally backbeat-focused groove behind an intriguing harmonic vocal blend that gives Off The Record a bizarre quality that's hard to describe.

Sorry 'bout the things that I had to say

And I'll make it up to you right now at the penny arcade

In an open car or wherever you are

Push yourself too far and it might get hot

Well, I really don't need the confusion

And you know I just ain't the type

To get all wrapped up in the illusion

Of doing something that I know ain't right, right, right

Cue the chorus, another verse, and another chorus, all a very similar vibe. It's all major key up to this point, a relatively upbeat vibe that pulls you along with it. It hits a minor key straight out of the second chorus with a slightly altered guitar melody; a brief jam in this key brings the song to its peak before it descends into a straight-time, soft groove that completely switches the feel of the track. It's uniquely executed and uniquely MMJ; the soft jam continues until the end, maintaining the drive of the earlier sections with a completely different feel. When they give their tracks room to breathe, amazingly weird things happen, and Off The Record is a perfect example.

Into The Woods - 5:21

You guys know I love My Morning Jacket, but you also know that I always try to judge tracks fairly, whether or not they're written by a band I enjoy. Into The Woods is a bad song with a bizarre groove and horrendous lyrics

A kitten on fire

A baby in a blender

Both sound as sweet as a night of surrender

Skip a little, and James gives you a riddle.

I went over the river, and into the woods, where did I go?

Where a wood burning stream flows up through the trees,

Like the soul of the hottest kind of lover I've ever seen

One who lives to choose another fool's dream.

Huh? I don't know, but even if the lyrics were good, the track itself has no redeeming qualities. The snare drum is the only source of percussion, along with a carnival-sounding keyboard and some fading synth effects that come and go as the song progresses. I won't dwell on this one anymore, but just know it's the only clunker on the album, so it could be far, far worse.

Anytime - 3:56

As if to apologize for subjecting us to Into The Woods, My Morning Jacket gives us Anytime, a straight up rocker that jumps right in and does not slow down. This was my very favorite MMJ track a few years ago, and although I realize now that it lacks the musical depth of other tracks, Anytime remains a consistently fun track to listen to.

Is this "climbing up to the moon?"

Or is it fadin' out too soon?

I hope we didn't, I hope we didn't wait too long

I hope we didn't, hope we didn't wait too long

All that I wanted to say - words only got in the way

But then I found another way to communicate

It's just high energy, straight-up rock from beginning to end, supported by a driving synth percussion line that never stops pushing the song forward. James gives it everything he has, absolutely belting pieces of the chorus and some shouts at the end to bring Anytime to a close.

Bonus: random Madonna mention.

But what Madonna said really helped

She said: "boy, you better learn to express yourself!"

So now you know that MMJ likes Madonna, and that Madonna helped James learn to express himself, presumably.

Lay Low - 6:06

It's tempting to call every other track on Z a masterpiece, but there can only be so many masterpieces on one album, right? Lay Low is one of at least two, if not more, but there's no doubt it belongs there. It's not necessarily a slow build, but there's solid growth upon a foundational drum pattern. The pattern is unique, felt in almost five or six but played in 4/4 time. Once again, every classic MMJ song is characterized by some specific aspect that sticks out; for Lay Low, that's the drum set. The lyrics can be hard to discern, but the way James sings them just fits perfectly with the feel of the track. It turns into a jam with a nice, extensive guitar solo in the middle, except the jam just never stops. It expands upon the melody, brings the dynamics up and down, brings in new instruments (primarily piano and extra guitars), but it never sacrifices the intensity of that drum foundation.

I just read the lyrics thoroughly and realized it's probably all sexual innuendo. No matter. Lay Low is a banger (ha, get it? Sorry. It was right there). Nevertheless! The sound of Lay Low is magnetic, such that you just find yourself drifting along with it without thinking about it all that much. Top three tracks on the album, bare minimum.

Knot Comes Loose - 4:02

Knot Comes Loose is to Z as Golden is to It Still Moves, slowing down the pace of the album significantly and creating a unique emotional reaction that few other tracks in their repertoire can evoke. It's hopeful, melancholy, reminiscent, and tender simultaneously; steel guitar and background vocals bring a power to this track that you just don't find very often, MMJ or not.

Can't you see that I'm smilin'?

Can't you see, there's a part of me that's brand new?

Used to be there was a part of me felt like hidin'

But now it comes through

Deep in my heart

That's where the knot comes loose

Deep in my heart

I will remember you

It's so sweet, and yet there's a willingness to move on that James conveys in such an eloquent manner. Congas (I think) anchor the track, along with a shaker and some percussive acoustic guitar and piano. It's a simple formula, but the layering, per usual, is masterfully done. I love simple music, and I love simple music that conveys an emotion better than the most complex track you can find. Knot Comes Loose checks all the boxes.

All my lovely life I been waitin'

Hot heels anticipatin'

Another love I found, not to let it down

Down

The lyrics take center stage, and Jim James writes poetically, almost. You read these lyrics, and they don't look nearly as eloquent as they sound. Once again, there's beauty in simplicity; Knot Comes Loose is the very essence of that principle.

Dondante - 7:59

And thus we arrive at one of the greatest album closers I've ever heard, arguably MMJ's greatest song on their greatest album. Dondante is intense, conveying such incredible grief combined with a sense of hope that elicits a reaction every time you hear it. It's a tribute to Jim James' childhood friend, another person with musical dreams who never got to see them come to fruition. James has been very open about him; he committed suicide before he got to achieve his dream alongside James. This is a brilliant tribute, as you'll see.

In a dream I saw you walkin'

Like a kid alive and talkin'

That was you

To the one I now know most

I will tell them of your ghost like a thing

That never, ever was

Well, I saw it in your movements

And even though you never knew it

Well, I knew

Just how sweet it could be

If you'd never left these streets

Dondante starts very quietly, light guitar and percussion barely audible as James sings these lyrics. There are more interspersed throughout those, but I wanted to focus on these verses specifically.

James saw his friend in a dream, walking as if he was alive. He tells his friends, presumably his bandmates, about him, but he might as well be talking about a ghost, a comment on the utterly final nature of death. I find that last verse especially interesting, a shift from James' knowledge of how his friend was feeling, even if he never said it, directly into James' knowledge of just how incredible it would be if they both made music work, together. It's like James is saying he knew it would be amazing, but he also knew that something was wrong with that possibility, even if he couldn't quite figure out what his friend was going through. It's so very evocative and real, beautifully descriptive of such a painful moment in James' life.

Dondante takes a while to get going, but after a brief, light guitar interlude it hits its stride. Quick crescendo, and James re-enters with bold, powerful lyrics backed by even more powerful guitar. I can't explain it, but if you listen to one track on Z, make it this one.

You had me worried

So worried

That this would last

But now I'm learning, learning

That this will pass

(x2)

James conveys his belief, at one point, that the pain of his friend's death would never pass, juxtaposed with his knowledge that the pain does eventually fade, even if it never truly vanishes. James can feel happy again and enjoy the success and joy of his music, even if his friend isn't here to see it. It's a painful kind of hope, but it's hope nonetheless, and that's the best one can hope for in the wake of the death of a loved one.

When I hear Dondante, I can't help but think about music's power to convey things that nothing else can fully convey. I'm sitting here, listening to the soft saxophone solo closing the track out, and I can only imagine how many people have been impacted by songs like this one, perhaps not regarding an identical tragedy, but a situation that can only be described and related to through musical expression. Dondante is a beautiful tribute, the most touching and real track My Morning Jacket has ever released.

I'm not gonna rate every song on Z because every one of them, besides Into The Woods and What A Wonderful Man, is amazing. I'll leave you with a suggestion: listen to Dondante, Lay Low, and Gideon, at the very least. I'd say listen to the full album, but those are the ones you can't miss.

Thanks for reading, per usual. See you around! Emory