As frontman for Kentucky rock / country / psychedelic / kitchen sink band My Morning Jacket, Jim James has consistently pulled the rug out from under his fans’ feet with his relentless commitment to musical exploration. So it should be no revelation that his new solo record comes as a bit of a surprise, despite feeling like a natural turn in his career path from cult favourite to hairy hero of America’s musical elite.
This time around, the woozy, comforting psychedelia of old remains, the songs trickling into one another, sleepy synths sighing, purring and pulsating. But Eternally Even comes with the biggest serving of soul he’s cooked up yet, sexy basslines sizzling even as he looks death in the face for We Ain’t Getting Any Younger Parts 1 and 2.
As such, it’s the world’s smoothest political rallying cry; ‘If you don’t vote it’s on you, not me’ he sings on Same Old Lie, taking a despairing look at the world around him. This is beautiful and smart, eccentric and unique, and marks Jim James out once again as a singular American talent.
