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Z

Ato Records

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Wordless Chorus
It Beats 4 U
Gideon
What a Wonderful Man
Off the Record
Into the Woods
Anytime
Lay Low
Knot Comes Loose
Dondante
[CD-ROM Track]

Average customer rating: 4 stars

Do not Buy SONY products again

Thanks for the feedback about this absolute rubbish by SONY, thanks to the comments place by customers, I have decided not to buy anything of this band and never from SONY. Well done SONY! one customer less, I really do not need your music to stay alive.

A much needed change of direction. Proof that Appalachians have brains.

A lot has happened in the time in between It Still Moves and 2005's Z. Two members left, replaced by guitarist Carl Broamel and keyboardist Bo Koster, the band became Bonnaroo legends, and started to pick up more attention and fame. So, when 2005's Z came around, it seemed fitting to try a few new things to the tried-and-true MMJ sound.

First off, there's less reverb, but that's ok, because the songs are fantastic. There's the Prince vibe of Wordless Chorus, the Flaming Lips-inspired It Beats 4 U, and the reggae-meets-Pink-Floyd Off The Record. The band really experiments with each song, channeling funk, reggae, psychedelia, and of course, rock and roll.

What makes this album really well done is the slick production. My Morning Jacket has never sounded this accessible and pop-friendly. Also, the album plays it a little safer. While It Still Moves was huge (74 minutes), this album manages to rock just the same at 45, correcting some of the weaknesses of albums like At Dawn and The Tennessee Fire.

And it's more energetic too. What A Wonderful Man and Anytime seems to take no prisoners in the pop and rock world. The band finally knows how to seriously rock out (not that they couldn't in the past), and Lay Low has a fantastic guitar duel that rivals early Skynyrd. Dondante also has a stellar guitar solo with a sax ending that rivals the best of Wish You Were Here.

This is a great album with absolutly no filler, and is full of surprises coming from a band that worshiped at the throne of Neil Young. Best album I've heard so far.

Not their masterpiece, but still a great album

Alot of people feel that MMJ's "Z" album may be the release that defines the band at their creative peak, ranking it with the likes of Radioheads "OK Computer", Wilcos "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" or the Flaming Lips' "Soft Bulletin." I myself don't feel they have hit that peak yet, but I feel that their momentum, starting with "Z" and into "Evil Urges," is heading rapidly towards a truely classic album.

That being said, I loved this album despite its flaws. It starts out very strong with the beautiful "Wordless Chorus." It is so refreshing to hear the 3 part harmonies on this song; it really sets a cool vibe for the rest of the CD. But the next track, "It beats for you," is a whole different animal that gives the disc a darker and more creative vibe. This mix of dark and light, giddy and somber, simple rockers and creative complexity continues through the entire album. This is what makes it a great listen.

But I cannot give it 5 stars because it is not a totally origonal sound. I heard alot of "the bends" era Radiohead in these songs, which isn't neccessarily a bad thing if you prefer Jim James' voice over Thom Yourkes. The most obvious correlations I could find are in "what a wonderful man" and "into the woods" which both would have perfectly fit into the Flaming Lips "clouds taste metallic" album. At some points I couldn't tell if Wayne Coyne was sitting in on those tracks or not. Nevertheless, the songs are great no matter what the influence is.

Standout tracks for me are wordless chorus, gideon, off the record, anytime, and lay low. Although, all the tracks here are solid. This is a disc that will stay in your CD player for quite a while. Then after you wear it out, check out their "evil urges" disc. The only problem with that one is fighting the urge to smash it to pieces after hearing the song "highly suspicious."

Just Discoered!

My 20 year old son left this CD in my car and I just discovered how excellent this album is. In the likes of the Shins and older Shoes and early R.E.M. Great, eclectic rhythms and lyrics. Just an all around great CD. I cannot believe I have never heard of this group before????

The must have album from the bands discography

Overall, a great rock album, showcases Jim James' and the bands diversity within the rock genre, Well mastered. Jim James' vocals are lodged in your head and the band has a certain Jam element that I love. The perfect sounds of the keyboards as well as the arrangements and the variety of Jim's vocals make it special. I would give it 4.5 out of 5.