My Morning Jacket – Evil Urges4 ½ of 5 Stars

With its successful “Z” in 2005, My Morning Jacket began to incorporate varying elements into its sound other than those found on the band’s previous three albums, which were primarily made up of Kentucky alt-rock and lots and lots of reverb. For the latest album, it has discovered some new styles and even invented some others. The opening title track kick-starts the album with Jim James’ falsetto vocals overlapping a blend of funk, R&B and electronic jams, all until the breakdown where Jim and second guitarist Carl Broemel’s fast-paced dueling guitars remind you that you’re listening to a band that can rock out harder than almost anyone in the industry. The third track on the album, “Highly Suspicious,” is by far the most experimental the band has redorded thus far. Highly influenced by Prince and scattered throughout with mindless laughter, this track will either draw you in or block you out as to where the band is heading. The only real drawback is that it might be too wild for many listeners to get on the first go-round.

For those looking for heavy-hitting Rock & Roll, there is plenty to choose from “I’m Amazed,” “Aluminum Park” and “Remnants” are enough to satisfy, even though the rest of the album doesn’t quite have the guitar-based rock of the previous two. The back and forth guitar solos of James and Broemel compliment each other perfectly, a mixture of straightforward powerful tone with a raw kick-your-teeth-in delivery.

One of the key features that makes this band so special is not its ability to change — most bands eventually do that — but its ability to adapt and morph what it has learned alongside what it already succeeds in. James even turns back to his country roots with the simpler songs “Two Halves” and “Sec Walkin”.

Stripped of background vocals and computer tweaks, “The Liberian” is a song about a sexy bookworm covered up by glasses and pulled-back hair, abandoned since the invention of the “Interweb”.

The final song “Touch Me I’m Going to Scream, Part 2” concludes the album with eight minutes of a euphoric journey of drumbeats and omni chords all while James sings of a never-ending wonderful feeling.

Evil Urges is a breakthrough album in the sense that it showcases all that My Morning Jacket is and all that it can be. Although some listeners might be turned away at first, those that stick around will be rightfully rewarded. James’s voice is unmatched by anyone, at times it is hard to believe that one person can have so many different styles and pull them all off. Evil Urges is excellent fifth addition to My Morning Jacket’s near perfect career.