My Morning Jacket: Evil Urges

Label: Ato Records

Anybody expecting the new My Morning Jacket album to sound like the last My Morning Jacket has not been following the band’s career closely. They like taking chances. They like going for new sounds and seeing where the chips fall. Whether it was the warm, horn-laden R&B of It Still Moves or the shades of reggae and soul on Z, MMJ has always sought to branch out from Neil-ish-flavored Southern rock of their early records. Now, with Evil Urges, MMJ has thrown us a few more loops. Right away, you know you are in for something different, as the title-track opener shows the band taking a stab at … funk. It’s jarring, to be sure, but the follow-up track, “Touch Me: I’m Going to Scream, Pt. 1,” is a far more convincing excursion into George Clinton land. And lest you think this was a quick gimmick, it’s nothing compared to “Highly Suspicious,” where Jim James channels a Prince-like falsetto. But the album soon settles into a nice bit of alt-country reminscent of Dylan’s Nashville Skyline. Few bands take these kinds of risks these days, and while I can’t say every track works on this record, most of them do, and that’s reason enough to celebrate Evil Urges. (Ralph)