Z
by My Morning Jacket
  • Record Label: ATO
  • Release Date: Oct 4, 2005
User Score
8.4

Universal acclaim- based on 249 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 211 out of 249
  2. Mixed: 21 out of 249
  3. Negative: 17 out of 249

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  1. shprea
    Jul 10, 2013
    9
    All around great album. Awesome tunes with a mellow/laid back feel. It's just great. The real jewels of this album are "Dondante", "Wordless Chorus", and "Lay Low". Highly recommended.
  2. Messiahman
    Jul 28, 2012
    7
    I barely discovered this band today, and I instantly fell in love...until I heard this album. First three tracks? Great.

    Everything else was garbage until I heard "Lay Low," then the rest went back to being garbage.
  3. j30
    Dec 7, 2011
    9
    Z is an impressive, near great album from My Morning Jacket. Don't make a judgement the first time you listen to it. It's very different from anything you've ever heard before from the band. (Early) Pink Floyd, Radiohead, and Wilco all come to mind when I listen to the record.
  4. Vampire25
    Dec 22, 2010
    10
    This is one of my favorite albums. It's simply amazing. Jim Jame's vocals are simply astounding. His voice is beautiful. This is in my top ten greatest rock albums I've ever heard. "Wordless Chorus" is just an amazing starter. You can really hear Jim's voice the best in that song. And "Lay Low", my favorite song on the album and one of my favorite rock songs I've ever heard, has THEThis is one of my favorite albums. It's simply amazing. Jim Jame's vocals are simply astounding. His voice is beautiful. This is in my top ten greatest rock albums I've ever heard. "Wordless Chorus" is just an amazing starter. You can really hear Jim's voice the best in that song. And "Lay Low", my favorite song on the album and one of my favorite rock songs I've ever heard, has THE greatest guitar solo I've ever heard. It's just awesome. All In All, This is one of my favorite albums to date and it never gets old. A… Expand
  5. skybar
    Sep 27, 2008
    10
    Perfect album for night drives. Note to half of the commenters: Stop comparing everything to Radiohead. Learn how to appreciate something without namedropping. Learn to do that and you'll be better than half of the so-called music critics out there. Can't you sit and listen to something and appreciate it for what it is? You fools would listen to Berlioz and say, "Oh my. This Perfect album for night drives. Note to half of the commenters: Stop comparing everything to Radiohead. Learn how to appreciate something without namedropping. Learn to do that and you'll be better than half of the so-called music critics out there. Can't you sit and listen to something and appreciate it for what it is? You fools would listen to Berlioz and say, "Oh my. This sounds an awful lot like Beethoven. What a poseur!"… Expand
  6. Jake
    Jun 23, 2008
    10
    This is simply an incredible album. Every song sounds different but they all come together in a strangely cohesive way. Lay Low, Wordless Chorus, It Beats 4 U and Dondante are genius and you owe it to yourself as a fan of quality music to pick this stellar album up. I'm sure glad I did.
  7. JomoandTheSmoothies
    May 8, 2008
    10
    This album is a classic.
  8. RobV.
    May 6, 2008
    10
    Best album of 2005. 4th best of all time. Perfect mix between Pink Floyd, Led Zep and Neil Young, but in a modern jacket.
  9. Thecrystalcat
    Jan 31, 2008
    10
    would be pretty sweet if they could make the background music of my life.
  10. DamijanG.
    Jan 24, 2008
    10
    One of the best in decade!
  11. ScottS.
    Jan 2, 2008
    10
    Easily the best album of the year, if not the decade.
  12. AlexP.
    Dec 30, 2007
    9
    A great album. Soaring proggy yet rootsy rock, with Jim James' Neil Young-esque falsetto and twirling jamming guitars creating a unique sound. Very good, and their best album to date.
  13. ArturoR.
    Oct 16, 2007
    10
    This is their best work!
  14. JohnS.
    Aug 22, 2007
    10
    Awesome. Literally inspires awe in your ears, your heart and most importantly your soul. Each song reaches an orgasmic guitar solo crescendo.
  15. MatthewG
    Jul 16, 2007
    10
    Simply one of the best albums made in the last 10 years.
  16. BenS
    Mar 14, 2007
    10
    I'm not one to over-rate; the more I listen to this album, the more it grows on me. It's incredible that they managed to master so many different types of music on one album, from prog (Dondante) to an almost reggae sound (Off the Record). I hope that this is just the beginning.
  17. TomR
    Feb 3, 2007
    9
    I would like to vote 10 on this release from my recent favorite rock band MMJ, just to offset the 0-2 votes here. Z is obviously not a 0-2, and those who rate it that simply can't appreciate the talent that Jim James and MMJ display. Either that or they grew up in the 70's and are stuck there and anything after that has been a "copy cat". It is true that MMJ borrows alot from I would like to vote 10 on this release from my recent favorite rock band MMJ, just to offset the 0-2 votes here. Z is obviously not a 0-2, and those who rate it that simply can't appreciate the talent that Jim James and MMJ display. Either that or they grew up in the 70's and are stuck there and anything after that has been a "copy cat". It is true that MMJ borrows alot from 70's rock. In fact many groups borrow from 70's and 80's music nowadays, but few can take the music they love, add their own flair and pull it off. MMJ is one of the few. This CD is an instant classic and will be one of the revered recordings of this decade. The reverb is still persent, but not as glaring in previous efforts, and the newly revamped band rocks out, especially on Anytime and What a Wonderful Man. There are a couple of weaker tracks on the CD, but are overshadowed by the highlights like Gideon and Anytime. MMJ uses keyboards more often and effectively than peviously and the result is a more well rounded sound on two of my personal favorite tracks It Beats 4 U and Wordless Chorus. The CD closes with the epic Dondante. As a sidenote, I caught MMJ at the Avalon in Boston, and they were just as good as on Okonokos. I recommend seing them soon before they headline Amphiteaters. MMJ truly is a great American rock Band.… Expand
  18. Cat
    Dec 28, 2006
    8
    Great album. Definite grower...may sound a bit strange at first but once you listen to it more you appreciate its nuances and little oddities. Not to mention that these guys are AMAZING live. That made me appreciate this album all that much more.
  19. Lou
    Dec 18, 2006
    9
    9.5 really. Fantastic album. Nothing left to say!
  20. Rufus
    Dec 7, 2006
    8
    I like this release so much that I intend to spend millions of dollars buying up all available copies of it so that no one else can have one.
  21. GingerMoon
    Nov 30, 2006
    9
    Z is definitely one of the best albums of 2005, and that says a lot because 2005 was a great year for alternativ music. Each track is so diverse and unique, beautifully composed, with fantastic lyrics. Lay Low is by far my favorite track, an epic tune that desrves praise!
  22. RichardC
    Oct 12, 2006
    10
    I just found out about this band, and I have to say that this album is AMAZING! An instant classic.
  23. HannaW
    Sep 27, 2006
    9
    This is the album that they were meant to create. The album's leading up to this were training wheels for what is to come from this band after Z. They capture the very essence of Z in their live shows. I would recommend everyone that is a MMJ fan to please see them live. They get it and you will too.
  24. willd
    Aug 7, 2006
    10
    Great album.
  25. callumm
    Aug 3, 2006
    9
    A slice of genius. Just as good as Illinois, metacritics 2005 number 1. But in a different way. There are some fantastic songs on this album with. No filler. However some are more fantastic than others. Into the woods lets you down a little but then you hear the other half of the album and when you think the album could dip it lives up to the first half. I feel guilty giving this 9 and A slice of genius. Just as good as Illinois, metacritics 2005 number 1. But in a different way. There are some fantastic songs on this album with. No filler. However some are more fantastic than others. Into the woods lets you down a little but then you hear the other half of the album and when you think the album could dip it lives up to the first half. I feel guilty giving this 9 and not a 10. Brilliant… Expand
  26. IdoY
    Jun 24, 2006
    9
    amazing
  27. BaldurH
    Jun 23, 2006
    9
    an astonishing album! Wonderful man Dondante are among my favourites.
  28. lisal
    Jun 13, 2006
    10
    This is by far one of the best albums ever! Every song is so unique and wonderful to listen to! It proves that music is an art.
  29. mr.hankey
    Jun 3, 2006
    7
    It's a good album but in the end you feel that some of the songs are either trying to make you like them or are just too similiar. Don't get me wrong MMJ as a band is brilliant but this album doesn't feel as good as some of their older stuff. But still it is an intelligent mix of pop, alt- country, southern rock and ambience that make this album one of the best of 2005.
  30. RobertM
    Jun 2, 2006
    9
    I've never been a big fan of the band. There are too many similar sounding bands out there that I think do it better. But with this new album, MMJ's sounds does change dramatically. I've read some unwarranted claims of them souding like Radiohead or that they will be the new American Radiohead. That just is not so. They aren't in the same league. The vocals and the I've never been a big fan of the band. There are too many similar sounding bands out there that I think do it better. But with this new album, MMJ's sounds does change dramatically. I've read some unwarranted claims of them souding like Radiohead or that they will be the new American Radiohead. That just is not so. They aren't in the same league. The vocals and the music are much more akin to The Flaming Lips. In fact, parts of this album would be a better follow-up to Yoshimi than the latest offering from Flaming Lips. Still, musically, I enjoyed this CD very much.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

2
#2 Best Album of 2005
20
#20 Most Discussed Album of 2005
26
#26 Most Shared Album of 2005

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
90

Universal acclaim - based on 31 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 30 out of 31
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 31
  3. Negative: 0 out of 31
  1. Dot Music
    90
    A modern day classic.
    Read full review
  2. Tiny Mix Tapes
    80
    What you can expect is what makes My Morning Jacket tried and true: bigger-than-life lyrics, classic rock swagger, and the need to move forward.
    Read full review
  3. Mojo
    100
    With Z, My Morning Jacket have left their comfort zone, assumed the mantle of firebrands, and delivered a truly momentous work. [Oct 2005, p.96]
See all critic reviews »