One day when we’re finally able to process what the last few years have done to our brains, lives, and expectations (still very much a work in progress for most of us), I think we’ll come to a place where for all its terrible aspects — the inordinate amount of death, suffering, and disconnection many felt, to start — we will end up appreciating what happened to us when the world slowed down. Not that we’d wish to go through it again — no one would willingly invite the damage and scars caused by losing friends, jobs, and your mental sanity, or want to accept that we’ll never get more time with the loved ones who passed if there was any alternative — but I think the changes the carnage wrought, as painful as they were/are, will be something we end up feeling grateful for in the end.
Grateful for the forced creativity and flexibility we had to display, grateful for the forced introspection and prioritization we had to experience, grateful for what we became as a result. (I think of that Hemingway quote about broken bones here and how we’re stronger in the places it broke us afterwards.) Granted, this is coming from someone who’s been broken badly a number of times over the years, so maybe there’s a masochistic/naive element to this that’s anomalous — one borne out of habit and conditioning rather than objective assessment — but even if true I don’t think negates the possibility we can find some positive, affirming aspects to what we collectively just went through and latch onto them.
For some it was learning new hobbies or languages, catching up on long delayed goals or tasks, exploring nature and focusing on fitness, or deepening connections with those closest to you. For me, it was reassessing what I wanted my days to look like and where I wanted to spend them (and then being supported/encouraged to take action on them — another point of gratitude). It was also simpler, less radically life-altering things like diving deeper into music, reconnecting with or discovering new things to fall in love with and share. (Something I’m sure the eight of you know is a huge part of me and appreciate benefiting from, even if you would never say so.)
Early on it was John Prine and 60s era Willie Nelson albums that were on constant repeat, the humor and heart providing some calm and warmth amidst all those anxious uncertainties. That eventually expanded to include the work of this band, whose music exudes those things by the truck full (as well as a soaring sense of hope — another critical commodity as the two-plus years of ‘rona restrictions dragged on.) I’d always been a casual fan of theirs, having seen them play at a number of festivals and always enjoying their positivity and incredible musicianship once they found a groove, but it wasn’t until those endless days on the patio with the chaos swirling around that I really started to obsess over their albums. And obsess I did, going back and forth through their catalog, broadening my list of favorites well beyond the two I used to listen to almost exclusively, which begs the question (and is a rather lengthy preamble to the latest installment of this occasional fave), “WHO’S ON TOP?”
Fans of this segment know I normally debate the ordering of a band’s albums with my former coworker (the idiot we call “Gabriel”), but since he’s somewhere in France getting fat on croissants, I’ve enlisted the help of two NEW idiots, Scoot and Doc. We’ve debated bands like Wilco, Radiohead, and a few others here before, but this time we’re here to rank the albums of that recent obsession, My Morning Jacket.
This was tougher than I’d expected, in part because of how much I fell for some of their later albums during lockdown, which really muddied the waters in the middle. My top two are still the ones I’d loved prior to the pandemic — they’re just virtually flawless albums and while I’ve got them split between two spots right now, you honestly could call it a tie (something I went back and forth about twenty times over whether to do and am still waffling on a little…) The next batch is another clump of photo finishers with the previously undisputed third spot held by Z coming under intense pressure lately from last year’s self-titled album, Waterfall II, old fave At Dawn, and recent up and comer Urges. (This last one used to be among my least favorite of the band’s, but has come on really strong in recent years, with a few deep cuts I hardly ever see them play live (“Aluminum Park,” “Smokin’ from Shootin'”) and a couple I now almost need them to (the “Touch Me” duo, particularly the one that ends the album, which is an absolute ripper live) drawing me back time and again.)
These five are almost interchangeable, each with four to five killers a piece to anchor them, but I still give Z the slight edge because its killers are among my all-time faves for the band. (“Wordless Chorus,” “Off the Record,” “Lay Low,” and “Dondante” are all epic live show destroyers and as good an intro to the band as you could possibly need.) And then Waterfall I and Tennessee bring up the rear for me — not because they’re bad, but simply because something has to and they’ve objectively got less killers than the rest of them. (But are perfectly solid albums in their own right.)
Scoot and Doc had slightly different (and less complete) lists than mine, but the former and I are in agreement about the strength of Moves and Z, which were both in our top three. Doc and I agree on three of our top four, but his ordering is the reverse of mine (and where’s Moves fall?! The people demand to know, good doctor!) Beyond that I think my ongoing obsession with the band has led to the remaining discrepancies, as both Scoot and Doc admit to not listening to the band beyond Urges. (Which is both a sad reflection on what they call living/priorities and an excellent opportunity to make some incredible discoveries — so get on it, you two!)
How would you rank these albums, esteemed reader? Drop me a line and give us your rationale (and/or suggest another band we should submit to the “WHO’S ON TOP” treatment in coming posts) — in the meantime, here’s where these three idiots ranked them:
Sunshine’s List:
1. It Still Moves
2. Circuital
3. Z
4. Evil Urges
5. MMJ
6. Waterfall II
7. At Dawn
8. Waterfall I
9. Tennessee Fire
Scoot’s List:
1. It Still Moves (“by a large margin”)
2. Z (“by a large margin”)
3. At Dawn
4. Evil Urges
5. Circuital
6. Tennessee Fire
(has not listened to most recent stuff as he’s been too busy hiking mountains and enjoying the mile high atmosphere and nature — which I think are perfect reasons/environments TO listen to this stuff, but what do I know. To each his own…)
Doc’s List:
1. Evil Urges
2. Z
3. Circuital
(he stopped mid-conversation and wandered off to talk to the lunch lady about the temperature of his sloppy Joe and never finished his list. Once he does I will duly update so the rest of you can pillory or applaud…)
This was the one I woke up with in my head this morning, so took it as a sign to finally get around to writing this. Hope you enjoy it (and the tune!)
That’s it for now — until next time, my friends…
–BS