REVIEWED: Circuital by My Morning Jacket


Perhaps it's just us but somehow we are sensing that many new releases by bands that we consider to be 'heavyweights' (and a term that we are getting tired of using) are getting softer. Radiohead, for example, is almost whispering with The King of Limbs; Incubus, following the many incessant whining by people who didn't grow up past 1999, sounds soulful (soulful - for God's sake!); and now Louisville, Kentucky's My Morning Jacket is next. Of course technically speaking that is incorrect because Circuital was released on 31st of May.

The evolution of M.M.J.'s sound should not come as a surprise at all to those who have been paying close attention to them since their debut in 1999, with perhaps 2005's Z being the most unusual of them all. Not Kid A unusual, but close enough. And, as is with the case of all evolutions, some things had to be given up and this is where the only unfortunate thing about M.M.J.'s evolution happened - Jim James' amazing, haunting voice ("I Needed It Most" is the best example) is now entirely gone. What is then replaced in the ten track Circuital is just a tamed crooning with limited emoting possibility, tailored to suit the mostly easy-paced songs.

It is not a rotten record - no, far from it actually. It is still an enthralling record that can and will accompany you in many occasions. Although the whole album feels largely subdued, there is still something fun ("Holdin' On to Black Metal") to cheer you up, something that waltzes towards you in a funny way that only attracts and draws you in ("The Day is Coming"), and something weird-ish to throw you off your orbit and catch you by surprise ("Victory Dance") before they slowly and surely pull you back on to ground ("Circuital"). That, is one Hell of a listening experience I have to say.

But, bet there is a but, to say that this is My Morning Jacket's strongest record to date feels a bit premature. It's a good one, but not that you'll recommend first to a new listener.