For me, MMJ's allure comes from their live show -- they're one of the best live rock bands out there, especially effective in a festival setting. That said, I don't feel they've ever been able to recreate that live aesthetic in the studio. Their sound off-record is so much more gripping and affecting than on-record. And (mainly because going to shows isn't exactly the easiest situation for someone in my financial situation) I just want to hear a record that doesn't let me down when I stack it against the live show, plain and simple.
OK, but that said, My Morning Jacket's new record Circuital isn't a poor effort. But aside from two songs, including the title track, there isn't much to really keep the listener's interest. If you've listened to the new record, I'm curious -- which songs, if any, do you actually still listen to? I know not everyone's the same, but I'd wager that it's not too many.
"Victory Dance" is the other track that piques my interest each and every time.
The song is a mainly chilled-out affair, despite its rising intensity all throughout. It's sinister, too. Above a deep, brooding bass, grooving guitar lines fade in and out of Jim James' vocal. The psyched-out jam gains in volume from start to finish, both instruments and vocalists following accordingly.
All in all, the song is a formidable opener to the album that, followed by "Circuital," creates an astounding one-two punch that should have been the beginning to a classic record. Instead, the rest of the album falters in comparison. But hey -- think of it as a two-sided single, and you've got a winner.
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