Monsters of Folk was formed in 2004 when Jim James (My Morning Jacket), M. Ward (solo work, She & Him), Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis (Bright Eyes) went on tour as a team under the heading “An Evening with Bright Eyes, Jim James, and M. Ward”. They’ve been recording together sporadically for the last couple of years and released it all on October 27th.
There are some really good things happening here. Really its the moments where the things that are awesome about these folks individually are layered together to create something new and interesting.
Highlights include - A really great harp and electronic drum loop in the opening track Dear God combined with heart-string pluckin’ harmony goodness. Say Please aesthetically has qualities that one would expect from an M.Ward song but with a new driving electric guitar and a group sung chorus that keeps it fresh. Sandman, The Brakeman and Me is a simple lulluby-esque track sung by Ward that will put you to sleep in the greatest way possible with really nice lyrics and gorgeous guitar. The final song, His Master’s Voice, starts off with Jim James singing with a light guitar track, slowly adding harmonies by Ward and piano until it turns into something pretty epic and propelling while still retaining the softness with which it begins. It builds you up, the line “You’re only gonna hear what you want to hear,” is belted by the group and answered, taking you back down, by Jim James, “Do you hear your master’s voice now?”.
The lows aren’t really lows but just moments where they seem to be doing things that they’ve done before but not as well. The song Goodway is an example of this. It isn’t a bad song, but its not really doing anything that is too interesting. All of its elements are familiar. Or Slow Down Jo where James offers us the ever overheard line “Anybody ever tell you that you move too fast?” The Tourist (Radiohead) drove the point home a little better, Jim.
All the vocal things that are great about listening to M. Ward and My Morning Jacket present themselves here to great effect. Namely the sometimes odd but always stunning harmonies. Ward’s and James’ voices go together like pumpkin pie and…more pumpkin pie. I’m going with the thanksgiving theme. Basically one is awesome, the other is just as awesome…but who doesn’t want MORE pie? The weak link here, vocally, is Mr. Conor Oberst. Temazcal, track four, features Oberst as the singer of the verses with Ward and James singing harmonies on the chorus and the occassional floating note mid verse. The chorus is the best part of the song. Temazcal is certainly pretty and enjoyable to listen to, but Oberst doesn’t sound quite right. He seems to be trying, and more power to him for that, but it is kind of obvious that he’s stretching for it. There’s a tension in his voice that sticks out like crazy next to the ease, delight and unique qualities that are Ward and James’ singing.
The running theme on this album seems to be a consideration of God and “the human condition” as its called. I’m glad they didn’t turn it into a concept album, it really just seems to be a collection of songs that happen to have that theme in common. They ask the big questions but offer no solutions which is kind of a bummer…and I assumed that if anyone could figure it out it would be them. Or Steve Perry. I guess we just have to come for the music stay for the contemplation. Or vice versa. Whatever does it for you.
All in all, even in its lower moments, Monsters of Folk deliver an enjoyable album. I give it 7 prayers that Jim James didn’t quit My Morning Jacket and this is just a side project out of 10.
-Sarah Q.
Current song - “The Right Place” by Monsters of Folk
