Circuital

My Morning Jacket keeps moving forward

Louisville rockers My Morning Jacket is the group famous for its amazing live performances and always striving for bringing that fire to their studio recordings. The band’s front man Jim James can make most varied sounds, never ceasing to experiment with the possibilities of his own voice, and the more recordings the musicians release, the more the musicians perform and release recordings, the less one want to compare them to other performers, for they are looking for their own unique sounding and are a great success in it. Which is why their fans always anticipate their releases, any talk-show with their participation and performance at the end gets high ratings, and the concerts are completely sold out weeks before the actual performance takes place. The band’s last two albums, 2005’s Z and 2008’s occupied worthy positions in My Morning Jacket’s discography, the former as the symbol of a turning point towards pop-tendencies, the latter as a real rock collection. The American band started to prepare its fans to the release of its sixth studio album back last year releasing the then-future title track Circuital last summer as the first single. Finally, on the threshold of the new summer the album sees the light of the day, and My Morning Jacket once again proves that it keeps moving forward all the time, closer and closer to its inimitable unique sounding that would distinguish it from all contemporary music world’s other rock bands.

Previous experience is united with new findings Circuital

As before, My Morning Jacket style and sounding are defined by the harmonies of guitars, drums and Jim James’ vocals and other musicians’ backing vocals on Circuital, with the never-ending adoption of sounds of various origins. The sixth album continues the band’s tradition to unite previous experience with new findings – thus, the album opens with an impressive song Victory Dance with a memorable tune, built on a leisured crescendo and flavored with deep bass and drums. The title track, the longest one on the album lasting more than seven minutes at first surprises with a danceable rhythm and contrasting slow, vulnerable vocals with some falsetto elements and then turns into the best composition to be performed on stage. Such rock anthems have once become My Morning Jacket’s calling card, and today continue to please the fans. A very expressive slow number The Day Is Coming is built on mellifluous backing vocals filled with the spirit of the 1970s-80s music and will become a perfect soundtrack for a romantic movie. The beautiful falsetto on the soulful peaceful track Wonderful (The Way I Feel) will leave nobody indifferent, as well as Outta My System with its persistent lyrics and a complicated broken rhythm. One of the album’s most dynamic and memorable numbers Holdin On To Black Metal conquers with sparkling winds, guitarists’ splendid playing and faultless falsetto vocal harmonies. You are sure to anticipate visiting the band’s concert after listening to First Light for these guys are able to create the light natural jam session’s atmosphere even in the studio, and the most ethereal track You Wanna Freak Out’s keyboards and guitars probably serve the best illustration of how Jim James and the company view life. The record closes with the five minute long composition Movin Away, a splendid Pink Floyd-like psychedelic lullaby.

Songs to listen to wherever you are

It was yet with the album Z that My Morning Jacket refused from recording works more than an hour long, and the tendency has been still preserved so far. This time the band has barely exceeded the forty minutes limit – Circuital offers ten tracks among which no failure can be found adding much the album’s special value. On the whole whatever composition you choose to play it is going to be good either as tranquil but heartfelt ballad or a slightly crazy anthem, perfect for the stage. Low, resonant, drawling synthesizers in combination with successfully found of a soft guitar arpeggio, vocals, passing from falsetto to a powerful emotional voice, romantic backing vocals, tunes that sound new and already rock classics at the same time – all of it makes Circuital a desired addition to any rock collection. You can listen to these songs while walking with your headphones on, or while travelling by car or just at home with your friends, and slow dancing at parties with such songs as Wonderful (The Way I Feel) or The Day Is Coming are going to remain the most romantic moments. Thus with its sixth studio album My Morning Jacket demonstrates that talented musicians always have something new to tell the world and it is possible to make it in a gorgeous and graceful way just like each song on Circuital is.