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What the hell is a Peanut Butter Pudding Surprise? And where can I get some? Seriously. When Jim James mumbles in the highest falsetto since Prince, you can’t help but want to be on whatever he’s consuming. As he screeches “I’m High” and the rest of the band chimes in “Highly Suspicious” with a commanding military baritone, you can’t help but get the image of some sort of crazy weed party where everyone is too stoned to even realize what’s going on.

I bet these guys had a blast recording this record.

How else could the lyrics “peanut butter pudding surprise” actually make it into a song? Or better yet, how else could My Morning Jacket, known for their own brand of freaked-out-stoner-southern-rock, suddenly become some sort of warped R&B/Funk band?

Evil Urges sees My Morning Jacket continuing along the same path as their previous album, Z. The formula that MMJ has always used is all here: everything soaked in reverb creating a spaced out Americana vibe as if The Flaming Lips and The Band suddenly became one (maybe Jim James is actually the love child of Wayne Coyne and Levon Helm).

From the very moment the opening and title track kicks in, you can tell that this album is slightly different from past endeavors; it has the sound of a band that is hitting its stride. Meandering through fourteen tracks of space rock ("Touch Me I’m Going to Scream Part One"), funk ("Evil Urges," "Highly Suspicious"), and straightforward rock ("I’m Amazed," "Thank You Too," "Two Halves"), Jim James and company has created their most accessible and strangest record at the same time. They even include an ode to sexy librarians everywhere ("Librarian"). While the sound is crisper than previous recordings, it’s still dirty enough to have that down-home recording style that has been apart of the group from the beginning.

Despite the title, Evil Urges is an album about the state of the world; about how we relate to one another and our surrounding environment. Like previous My Morning Jacket albums, Evil Urges creates an atmosphere that flows from start to finish. In this instance the tone is to question everything. In the world of MMJ there is no wrong or right; no good or evil. Sure it’s some hippie babble, but is it really far off from the truth? When Jim James proclaims his amazement by all things in the world you can’t help but agree with him. I am amazed at what people say. I am amazed by a quiet ocean. I’m amazed by what is happening in the world as we speak.

While by no means a political band, My Morning Jacket has long crafted songs that aim to point out how we relate to one another. When Jim James sings in the magnificent closing track, "Touch Me I’m Going to Scream Part 2," “Cause it’s been so long since someone challenged me / And made me think about the way things are, made me think about the way they could be,” it’s a call out to the world to question and challenge both what you see around you and what you see within yourself. When was the last time your beliefs were actually challenged? Evil Urges raises these personal questions in everyone and puts everyone on the stand.

Of course it helps to have some peanut butter pudding surprise before the cross-examination occurs.






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    Posted by theDrivingSnow on 2008-08-11 13:04:04

    A higher falsetto than Jonsi Birgisson? Methinks not.

    Posted by tenwestchaser on 2008-08-10 12:57:27

    So I was pretty sure that this band was just some SHIT radio band. Never heard of them and saw like 30 copies at Best Buy. So I'm wrong on this one?

    Posted by justaine on 2008-08-09 19:53:42

    crap review for a crap album!

    Posted by WaitingRoom on 2008-08-09 17:14:13

    I haven't heard this album yet, but from what I'm reading, I don't think I will be as pleased as I was when I heard the other albums.

    Posted by vaginalinferno on 2008-08-09 16:49:22

    love this band. no one else sounds quite like them- Z is a hell of a good album

    Posted by Allular on 2008-08-09 02:24:16

    "Highly Suspicious" is worth the price of the album alone.

    "I'm Amazed" and "Touch Me I'm Going To Scream Pt. 1" are solid too.

    Posted by thegetupkid on 2008-08-08 20:34:34

    This album was a pretty big letdown for me. Up until Evil Urges, they were getting better and better with each release. Z and It Still Moves are fucking incredible albums. And this one.... still decent, but not amazing. I just hope they don't play too much off of Evil Urges on this tour, I don't want to be bored to death.

    Posted by branden on 2008-08-08 15:48:58

    i tried on a few clips at emusic, don't dig it.

    Posted by supertomato on 2008-08-08 15:12:01
    My Score:

    i love Z. i like this album a lot too but that Rammstein voice on Highly Superstitious just kills me.

    Posted by inspection12e on 2008-08-08 13:20:03

    Word up Pat. Where the hell have you been?

    Punkervision is back up.

    Posted by red_eye_inc on 2008-08-08 13:18:43

    This release OFFENDS me

    Posted by booker_pee on 2008-08-08 13:17:30
    My Score:

    get the fuck out. this album blows in comparison to their other stuff.

    also, not even close to anything having anything to even do with punk.

    Posted by inspection12e on 2008-08-08 13:12:28

    baseball,

    I love At Dawn but I'm a long time fan. You might want to start with It Still Moves. Then report back and I can tell you were to go from there based on your opinion.

    Posted by mattramone on 2008-08-08 12:59:56

    This band is so boring. It's like Radiohead for hippies.

    Posted by Archangel on 2008-08-08 12:55:47

    nocigar - I know, and I think Attack & Release is great. I don't think Danger Mouse wrecked them, even if I do prefer Magic Potion. I am definitely excited.

    Posted by riotmute on 2008-08-08 12:31:10
    My Score:

    This record is amazing. I'm not sure if it's better than Z but I think the band really hits it's stride playing-wise and its a solid listen. Keep an open mind while checking it out

    Posted by nocigar on 2008-08-08 12:19:35

    Archangel - The Black Keys are one of the best things going, have fun.

    Posted by baseball on 2008-08-08 12:14:47

    Haven't heard this band before, but the review has me intrigued.

    Suggestions people??? This album or a different one?

    Posted by Archangel on 2008-08-08 12:14:05

    I went out and bought this record and tried so hard to enjoy it. Highly Suspicious is a motherfucking joke. I'm Amazed is good.

    Seriously, I'll keep trying, and I'm going to see them with the Black Keys at Red Rocks this month... but damn it all if they aren't making it difficult as hell for me to get into this record.

    Posted by nocigar on 2008-08-08 12:06:27

    I haven't heard this album, but everything before was great. I love smoking weed while listening to this band..it makes it that much better. Good shit.

    Posted by preston on 2008-08-08 11:28:29
    My Score:

    Yeah, I love this band too..First part sounds like Prince, second part sounds like Bread, third part finally starts to sound like MMJ, but, by then, I just don't care.

    Posted by inspection12e on 2008-08-08 11:23:50
    My Score:

    To be honest I loved all their albums before this. Still can't get into their sound on this one.

    Posted by LinoleumMagazine on 2008-08-08 11:16:49

    I fucking love this band so much. These guys are definitely one of the most original rock bands out there.
    Amazing record!

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