#19

Z by My Morning Jacket (2005)



It was hard for me to decide which MMJ album to put on this list. I own two of their other albums, At Dawn and It Still Moves. Both of these are epic, American rock masterpieces. They ramble through the sunny brightness and gothic darkness of Southern-tinged music. And both albums are probably more representative of the Kentucky-based band than the lighter Z. However, Z is the most enjoyable MMJ record. With this album, the band cut down on album length and injected variation into their sound. There's a bit of the ethereal here, some soul there, a little jam band over there, some Beach Boys sounds here, and (of course) a hefty serving of Southern fried rock. In fact, My Morning Jacket's real draw might be their unique blend of straight up reverb drenched rock with a bright 60's style pop sensibility. This album is perfect for road trips on partly cloudy days. It conjures images of washing cars in July....getting soaked with the sudsy water in the oppressive heat. It's like going boating on the lake or vacationing at a nice beach. It's also great barbecuing music. This is a summer album if there ever was one. You can almost see the heat shimmering above the pavement. The standout moment for me is track 8, "Lay Low." This is a driving rock song. It begins with an interesting percussion beat with a simple but effective electric guitar riff. Jim James amazing voice enters from whichever dimension it echos from and the song gradually builds momentum. This breaks with the energizing second half in a flurry of guitar soloing. Two guitars get their chance to shine here, inter playing with each other over a plinking piano and driving percussion. I'm always so energized and just plain happy every time I hear this track. The atmosphere chills out a bit with the next song, then the sun finally sets with the moody last track. A great album by one of the best bands around these days.