Jim James Furthers His Musical Brand

Jim James’s new album, Uniform Distortion, shows the singer/songwriter/musician furthering his musical brand and offering diaristic, occasionally poetic, commentaries on contemporary life. On the opening track, “Just a Fool,” James’s vocal conjures a druggy blend of Dylan and Joey Ramone. “Memorize the lines and try to work within the frame/busting out the glass – bloody knuckles broke the pain,” he sings. Lyrics address exasperation with self and the world, the impulse to sublimate rage that accompanies “working for the man and dreaming of the day.” James, however, has never been as committedly cynical as, say, Ryan Adams, Conor Oberst, or one of his probable heroes, Roger Waters, and his ebullient voice and soundscape ultimately define the tone of the track. James offers his take on being voguishly out of step with society’s norms, all the while sustaining a sense of humor.

“You Get to Rome” references the now-canonized riff from Metallica’s “Enter Sandman,” James transforming the aural meme into a synth-y palimpsest, a Las Vegas-y performance that J. Tillman would find intriguing, given its sophisticatedly satirical effect. “Out of Time” is founded on slacker lyricism that Kurt Vile or Courtney Barnett would appreciate: “I’m either behind the times/or ahead of the times/or maybe I’m just out of time.” The psychedelic motifs of the album gain traction on this song, a bedrock of distortion contrasting with a spacey atmosphere.

“Throwback” and “No Use Waiting” borrow from Ray LaMontagne’s “No Pressure” (the second track on Ouroboros, an album which James both contributed to and produced), venturing, at least sonically, into Neil Young and Crazy Horse territory. Guitar solos are alternately contained and expansive, James affirming himself as a versatile instrumentalist. “No Secrets” similarly features booming rhythms and a sultry melody, crunchy guitars strumming and chopping in the background – one of the more nuanced tracks on the album, an impressive integration of order and flux.

“Yes to Everything” sounds like an impersonation of Elvis backed by a garage-y Wilco. The song has a karaoke feel to it: an implicit satire on or rejection of pop culture with its gadgetry and consumeristic emphasis (think Dave Eggers’ The Circle lite). “No Use Waiting” highlights James’ ability to sublimize a straightforward tune by adding compelling textures and engaging instrumental lines à la the American anthem (and Hendrix’s conflagrative translation of it). “Better Late Than Never” and “Over and Over” are catchy pop takes with standout backup vocals by Leslie Stevens, Jamie Drake, and Kathleen Grace. The album ends with “Too Good to Be True,” replete with a muffled Nick Cave-ish vocal. The clean and airy solo offers a contrast to the denser treatments employed throughout the album.

With My Morning Jacket and his solo work, Jim James has carved a seminal path, mining country, rock, folk, and psychedelic genres and subgenres, his templates serving as prototypical launchpads for Robin Pecknold, Damien Jurado, Justin Vernon, Kevin Parker, Doug Tuttle, Kristian Matsson, and Lana Del Rey, among others. In terms of songwriting prowess, emotional complexity, and aesthetic elegance, Uniform Distortion can’t compete with the first four My Morning Jacket albums or his second solo release, 2016’s Eternally Even. The project, however, spotlights James in solid musical shape and striking a balance between protest and acceptance, disgruntlement and drollery — an engaging blend of the epic and mundane.