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. AaronA
    Oct 17, 2005
    10
    This is their best record yet. A little discipline goes a long way.
  2. 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
  3. PaulM
    Jan 9, 2006
    5
    Opens really well with some catchy, leftfield, Flaming Lips/Merucry Rev-type tunes. But takes a serious nosedive somewhere around the middle. 'Off the Record' is such a MOR piece of crap that its hard to believe its from the same band as the excellent 'Anytime','Law Low' and 'Dondante' that close this album of two halves.
  4. DavidM
    Mar 9, 2006
    4
    I bought this album based on this website and the reviews conained here. I am disappointed. It is not a stellar peice of work. Someone mentioned that the sound of the album is like from the bottom of a pool, and I agree. The mixing is way to heavy on reverb and echo, and the musicianship on the songs is lackluster at best. The riffs are ripped from other places, the hooks are muddy and I bought this album based on this website and the reviews conained here. I am disappointed. It is not a stellar peice of work. Someone mentioned that the sound of the album is like from the bottom of a pool, and I agree. The mixing is way to heavy on reverb and echo, and the musicianship on the songs is lackluster at best. The riffs are ripped from other places, the hooks are muddy and the singing is, well, not very good. James doesn't have good voice control, although he has a good range. I wanted this to be good, especially since I paid for it, instead of downloading it from Limewire. But, after the fourth listen, I don't think it will be in my computer or CD player any more. Disappointing.… Expand
  5. PatrickM
    Apr 10, 2006
    0
    This is a terrible album by a terrible group!
  6. GonzoTime
    Dec 5, 2005
    2
    I bought this CD. It's chock full of poor songwriting and unclever ideas. They should have just Auto-Tuned his voice, it's just too off-key, esspecially on the stand-out track "Gideon". What I hated most was the boring pointless backwards sounds, the annoying soul-brother vocal soloing, and most of all - the humiliating "nicknames" they have for each other (written in the liner I bought this CD. It's chock full of poor songwriting and unclever ideas. They should have just Auto-Tuned his voice, it's just too off-key, esspecially on the stand-out track "Gideon". What I hated most was the boring pointless backwards sounds, the annoying soul-brother vocal soloing, and most of all - the humiliating "nicknames" they have for each other (written in the liner notes). I sold this CD back and got The New Ponographers "Electric Version"… Expand
  7. RichardE
    Jan 13, 2007
    2
    simply boring
  8. TBoneSteakhose
    Oct 19, 2006
    3
    One of the most overrated albums of the year. There is no continuity and there is no execution. If you like reverb, which by the way is not a means of expression but a nob you turn up after you record your track, then listen to this. The first two songs are fun, catchy and well written. After that, it's filler to the end. The band doesn't know what it wants to be, and therefore, One of the most overrated albums of the year. There is no continuity and there is no execution. If you like reverb, which by the way is not a means of expression but a nob you turn up after you record your track, then listen to this. The first two songs are fun, catchy and well written. After that, it's filler to the end. The band doesn't know what it wants to be, and therefore, the results are mud and grey. You assume, with as much reverb and inability, the singer has that the lyrics would be great, but in fact they're indi-rock stupid. There are 3-4 songs on this album in which the lead guitar , bass guitar and drummer play the same notes throughout the entire song. It's ok computer for all the things that made ok computer not as good as it could have been..and not for the reasons that made it great.… Expand
  9. CosmoP
    Oct 5, 2005
    10
    Now this is truly great stuff.
  10. 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.
  11. 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.
  12. TomE
    Oct 10, 2005
    10
    It's good to see the guys run in a different direction on Z. While it is a true departure from previous work, so was It Still Moves from At Dawn, and the latter from the Tennessee Fire. If anything, My Morning Jacket shows that they are a band that is growing. Especially with the addition of Carl and Bo, the Jacket is reaching into new ground. They have a truly Zeppelin-esque It's good to see the guys run in a different direction on Z. While it is a true departure from previous work, so was It Still Moves from At Dawn, and the latter from the Tennessee Fire. If anything, My Morning Jacket shows that they are a band that is growing. Especially with the addition of Carl and Bo, the Jacket is reaching into new ground. They have a truly Zeppelin-esque approach to the rock scene: take what you like, and make it your own, in a way that nobody's done it before. Who would've thought that "I Needed It Most" would have preceded "Phone Went West" on At Dawn, and now the tracklisting has "Off the Record" followed by "Into the Woods." A rock-reggae trippy jam session followed by a beautiful demented circus waltz. And the thing is, it works. The album is encapsulating, and it ends as beautifully as it starts. Where we find outrselves thrown in with a mysteriously simple dance groove, we find the album closed with truly "sad, mysterious dance music." Amidst the drum and bass groove, Jim sings in a gentle, subdued manner on "Dondante," but builds and builds until you find that you're singing along with the guitar solo and get torn in two by the chorus. "You had me worried..." Simply reading the words cannot in any way, shape, or form express the sheer distress and frustration of this song. There is a power in this music, and it's one that you will rarely find in the music scene today. I challenge to put on headphones and close your eyes and listen to "Dandante" and not feel moved. I don't care if you hate Jim's voice, or listen to nothing but Slayer - this song will move with an emotional force that few bands today even come close to comprehending. And Jim, through "Dondante" and previous releases like "Steam Engine" and "The Bear," has found a language that transcens mere vowels and consonants, but on a level of pure emotion.… Collapse
  13. JimB
    Oct 10, 2005
    10
    this is an outstanding display of musical talent, and really shows how versatile the band has become.....
  14. SamL
    Oct 18, 2005
    10
    The best Album I've boughten this year. I only wish it were longer. MMJ has been one of my favorite artists for quite a while and they continue to improve with each release.
  15. EefV
    Oct 23, 2005
    10
    It is among the best cd's of the year. great songs. great music. high class
  16. BrianB
    Oct 5, 2005
    10
    A complete surprise. While some of Z sounds like their last and previous albums other songs find Jim James and the boys in new areas all together. It is kind of a weird little CD. "It Still Moves" part 2 would have been great, but I'm glad they're evolving.
  17. erdemc
    Oct 5, 2005
    10
    best album of 2005. absolutely wonderful... no words to say more...:)
  18. NickT
    Jan 20, 2006
    9
    One word to describe this album: concise. MMJ took the overly long songs from their previous albums and cut them down to little bits of perfection.
  19. KyleL
    Feb 14, 2006
    8
    Very good album...gives you the same great style, but with a faster beat. My Morning Jacket rose from the 'unknowns' with "Still Moves", but "Z" flowed much better. Good album...
  20. willd
    Aug 7, 2006
    10
    Great album.
  21. SheilaM
    Nov 10, 2005
    10
    What more can we ask? It's brilliant...good musicanship along with creative song lines.
  22. Borat
    Nov 15, 2005
    10
    Is nice. I like.
  23. KellyH
    Oct 13, 2005
    9
    What a fabulous album!! They have really refined their style since 'It Still Moves'. The same great melodies and choruses are there, but the songs no longer degenerate into 8-minute jam sessions. In fact, I think the average track length has come down by 3 minutes....
  24. JH
    Nov 5, 2005
    9
    Wow ... even if some tracks don't quite work, you can hear the urgency in the lead singer's voice - these guys are for real, or at the very least, they play a good game for 40 minutes. This is my first MMJ album, and I am more than impressed.
  25. Primushead
    Dec 1, 2005
    10
    Great album from one of the greatest live bands EVER.
  26. bobsyouruncle
    Dec 20, 2005
    9
    Great CD, I can listen to it over & over. I find the songs progress nicely from begining to end with great tempo, but i especially love the guitar solos in Laylow & Dondante. Jim James voice is piercing and brilliant the whole cd flows beautifully, the reason I'm not giving it a 10 is at 47 minutes it is a bit short, but it is worth it. This, just like any other cd, is one that you Great CD, I can listen to it over & over. I find the songs progress nicely from begining to end with great tempo, but i especially love the guitar solos in Laylow & Dondante. Jim James voice is piercing and brilliant the whole cd flows beautifully, the reason I'm not giving it a 10 is at 47 minutes it is a bit short, but it is worth it. This, just like any other cd, is one that you either love or hate, and I love it.… Expand
  27. ChrisH
    Dec 2, 2005
    8
    Z is definitely a tighter and more sonically pleasing album compared to the last one, It Still Moves. I love Jim James' voice and the reverb works more to the albums favour here than it did before. Drums have some great rythms, addition of keys is a big plus! Gets an 8 because one song (Track 6) is not so great; doesn't hurt the flow of the album though. Go buy it and see them Z is definitely a tighter and more sonically pleasing album compared to the last one, It Still Moves. I love Jim James' voice and the reverb works more to the albums favour here than it did before. Drums have some great rythms, addition of keys is a big plus! Gets an 8 because one song (Track 6) is not so great; doesn't hurt the flow of the album though. Go buy it and see them rock live! Bring back the 70s hair!… Expand
  28. WHaas
    Dec 3, 2005
    1
    Is this case I am rating this album based on previous MMJ material. They focused on 3 great tracks and the rest of the album is just nothing.
  29. C.B.
    Oct 24, 2005
    8
    Looking forward to many more amazing releases
  30. DrGoob
    Oct 20, 2005
    7
    I was amazed to see this album rush straight to top of 2005 (and indeed into the all time top 10). Given that this album has scored higher than the likes of Illinios, CYHSY or The Woods means it must be pretty special. Right? Right? But now that I've listened to Z, I'm sorely disappointed. This is not even close to the best of 2005. I'll admit that Z has a strong start, but I was amazed to see this album rush straight to top of 2005 (and indeed into the all time top 10). Given that this album has scored higher than the likes of Illinios, CYHSY or The Woods means it must be pretty special. Right? Right? But now that I've listened to Z, I'm sorely disappointed. This is not even close to the best of 2005. I'll admit that Z has a strong start, but 'Into The Woods' is a such a weak song (with obnoxious sound effect samples to boot) that it spoils the momentum of the first 5 songs, and the last half can only make a half-hearted attempt to recover. After about 5 or 6 listens to Z, I have no inclination to listen to it again past the catchy 'Wordless Chorus'. The reverb over the nasal vocals becomes irritating on many tracks, and in many places the tunes are gratingly immature (for example, the start of 'What A Wonderful Man' or "Into The Woods'). Calling things you don't like overrated is a bit of a cliche around here (almost as much as giving something 10 and calling it album of the year), but the fact is that Z really is overrated, dammit.… 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 »