My Morning Jacket
Does Xmas Fiasco Style EP
Darla

What shall we do we with the drunken snowman... Seems like My Morning Jacket had a lot of fun while recording this festive little album of christmas songs way off the regular holiday carol track.

The quintet must've had a booze soaked session, as the cover indicates with the boys posing with bodily fluid disposal bags. Music wise the five songs (plus a bonus track) have got great charms. There are three MMJ originals; two penned by Jim James, another by James and two comrades (?). Then there are two covers; Nick Cave's "New Morning" and Elvis Presley's "Santa Claus is Back in Town". "X mas Curtain" opens the ball, and it is a twangy piece of Neil Young-ish feelgood-angst. A nice song, indeed. "I Just Wanted to Say" follows, being more peaceful but not less intense. A fine one this one. "Xmas Time is Here Again" is more of a traditional ballad, with lazy jingle-bells. "New Morning" is an okay take, but I find the Elvis song just annoying.

The two first tracks are really good, the rest is...mostly relaxing, and that's not a bad thing right now. A twangy xmas and a dazed new year.

Copyright © 2004 Håvard Oppøyen