My Morning Jacket's last record It Still Moves - was the first of their handful of records that I fell in love with, thus I honestly didn't know what to expect from Z.. I know they released an EP in between the two - which I never got my hands on, and thus being a relative newcomer to the band I wasn't sure what was in store for me as I tore off the plastic and the sticky crap at the top. For me it was their sophomore effort - and we all know the jinx involved with such a albums. But as it is in truth their fifth of sixth release (If you don't count their collaboration with Songs: Ohia) so in truth the sophomore thing really was just my own fear.

Right away any doubt I had about this enigmatic band were allayed as song after song ,Z reinforced how incredibly cool this band is. There are few other bands that can rightfully be compared to My Morning Jacket and most of them are even more obscure. They bear fleeting resemblance to California's laid-back outfit Beachwood Sparks, as well as Clem Snide and even shades of Sonic Youth. Singer/songwriter Jim James definitely sounds like Neil Young singing from the depths of some subterranean cavern. But the cool factor runs much deeper than that. These are merely marginally helpful compass points on the cool map - vague indices at best to put you in the general ball park where My Morning Jacket hangs it's comfortable and well worn hat.

Z is an unqualified gem, sometimes toying with reggae and even spaghetti western influences. but never in a way that strays form their patented ultra-cool sound. There isn't as much guitar used on this record. but what guitar there is, literally tears the roof off the joint. Listening to it you get the impression that Jenson wrote the entire album on his guitar, but when they got to the studio they challenged themselves to use alternate instruments to get these classic tunes across - Penny whistles, calliope, harmonium, Rhodes piano, Hammond organs. The end result is unquestionalby among the best records of the year. James' voice is as hypnotic and other-worldly as anyone working and his lyrics are far more daring and certainly superior to those on It Still Moves.

This album just reeks of a genius allowed to pull out all the stops and make the record he's been dying to make. Z will, no doubt, be among most critic's best-of lists and if you go buy it you'll be able to say - yeah I got that album -they're right.- it's the shit." .Instead of having to say "never heard of those guys." Go for the former scenario - unless you're into Michael Bolton, you'll never regret it. In fact if any of you happen to read a negative review of this album use our comment board to let me know who has made such a grievous error in taste, and one of the members of our worldwide staff will see to it that his house gets toilet -papered. We could always have them killed, but then we'd be just as stupid a putz as they are. Anyone who doesn't enjoy an album this obviously cool is probably living a miserable life and the best we can do is to see that it is prolonged.