Very rarely do people go through the same music interests at the same time. My friends and I will typically discuss music with each other and introduce new artists, but recently I have noticed a trend among many of my friends: My Morning Jacket. This band has been creating waves for quite some time, but I believe they are making a comeback of sorts, without having released any music of recent. Recently, I visited my friend in Nashville, and we were talking about music. She mentioned a band that she had been introduced to recently and continued to get more excited as she discussed listening to the band at length on her drive home from work. When she finally remembered the band’s name, she looked at me and a few of our other friends and said, “It’s My Morning Jacket. Have you heard of them?” I kind of laughed but realized that she was serious.
In 2015, I became reintroduced to the group because of one specific song: “In Its Infancy (The Waterfall).” From there grew my renewed interest in the group, first introduced to me with the album “It Still Moves.” It’s truthfully hard to generalize the band’s immense repertoire, as each album is so different than the previous. Their debut was released in 1999, but the adaptability of their music allows it to be unbound by time. I continue to find new genres and influences as I further immerse myself in the band. The band’s 2008 album, “Evil Urges,” has a few of my favorite tracks, “Librarian,” “Sec Walkin,” and “Thank You Too!” This album is composed of more lyrically focused tracks, in my opinion. The songs are a little more stripped down, but still perfectly composed, with instrument mastery from all members of the band. Their next album, “Circuital,” released in 2011, has a slightly more electronic feel. This lends to a different sound, but Jim James’ voice and Tom Blankenship’s skills on the bass, are reminiscent of the previous album. Lyrically and musically, the band is consistently impeccable. The only changing force is the band’s overall sound.
While the band itself is wildly experimental, in the most fantastic way, lead singer and guitarist, Jim James, is also constantly exploring different musical prospects. In 2009, he released his first solo album, “Tribute To,” under the name Yim Yames. The album is a tribute to George Harrison, the lead guitarist of the Beatles, and was released shortly after Harrison’s death.
In 2013, James released another solo album, “Regions of Light and Sounds of God,” under his actual name. James’ popular song, “State of the Art – A.E.I.O.U,” was first released on this album and continues to increase in popularity. In 2016, James released his most recent solo album, “Eternally Even.” The red album cover is easily memorable, as well as, the unique and superb sound that fills the nine tracks. Throughout the 41 minutes of music, there is the familiar sound of James’ voice from My Morning Jacket, but the album itself has its own feel. “Same Old Lie,” the second track off the album, lyrically delves into Trump’s election and campaign for presidency. James discusses the importance of voting and questioning elected officials. The album is an important exploration made by James.
James tools around in another band: The New Basement Tapes. If you haven’t heard of this band yet, stop reading and go check it out. The band is made of six members. You may have heard of them: Elvis Costello, Marcus of Mumford of Mumford & Sons, Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes, Rhiannon Giddens of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, producer T-Bone Burnett and Jim James. The band’s album, “Lost On The River,” is a compilation of songs recently discovered that were written by Bob Dylan in 1967. Each member of the band experimented with different instruments and vocalists to create this album. The group recorded the songs within two weeks, forming a connection with the music, Dylan and each other.
No matter which musical styling of James you choose to immerse yourself in, it is clear that he is an important artist of the past 20 years. My Morning Jacket, Yim Yames, Jim James, and The New Basement Tapes are timeless groups with various influences and genres. The connecting unit is James.
