Jim James "A New Life"

On the Saturday night of this year's Newport Folk Festival, the mvyradio crew and some of our friends were hanging out in the house were we stay, finally getting to a meal (it was well after 10pm), and talking about our highlights for the day.

One of our station-friends asked me about My Morning Jacket.  Jim James and company was the reason he'd come to the show in the first place.  And he was a little surprised that I was not a bigger fan of the band.

In starting to explain why, I realized that I had a number of accumulated thoughts on the subject, that I hadn't really voiced before.  But they were coming out of me in a surprisingly coherent fashion.

First and foremost, I'm not crazy about Jim James voice.  I don't find it pleasing (though I don't find it intolerable either), and the effects they usually use on his voice on record, make his voice echo-ey and distant and not welcoming.

So there's a disconnect for me in how much I enjoy the band, and how much soooo many folks enjoy My Morning Jacket.  I can see why they are liked.  But I haven't been won over in the way that millions of others have been.

On the other hand, I totally get the appeal of Jim James, as a musical figure.

I have enormous respect of what he and his band are doing, and what he, as a solo artist, bring to the table.

As I've written before, My Morning Jacket could sell a ton of records and sell out big venues, by cranking out very derivative neo-Neil Young-type stuff.

But that's not the path they are taking.

Instead, they are experimenting, challenging, defying expectations.  Making music that makes you wonder, What will they do next?

What a joy to pop this new solo Jim James track in the CD player, and hear "Oh My God, he's got a Paul Simon 'Rhythm Of The Saints' thing going on!  Wait!  Now he's singing like Roy Orbison!"

I've referenced it before, but it is worth sharing again.  What has become one of my favorite movie scenes of all time, is at the conclusion of the Pixar film, "Ratatouille."  The critic, Anton Ego, gives an amazing monologue on the nature of criticism, it's possible lack of value, but it's relevance "in defense of the new."

So even if I'm not fully on board with the gospel of what millions of other James and MMJ fans believe, I am happy to ride the train as a secular supporter of the creative tracks.


Hear the song on Youtube.


Hear the song on Youtube.