MY MORNING JACKET > Evil Urges

Updated:

February 6, 2013 9:12 pm

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With Evil Urges, Jim James and company have cooked up a remarkable recipe. One that builds on 2005’s Z and injects more of the band’s underlying soul, hip-hop and r&b influences into their pysch-rock melting pot to create a jubilatory, genre-defying masterpiece. Both the title track and the monster bash, “Highly Suspicious,” harness the Prince juices James has shown a proclivity for live. “Thank You Too,” waltzes beneath the sun upon luscious ‘70s r&b while “Sec Walkin’” ambles along breezy yacht rock. James’ voice sounds better than ever here; his melted butter vocals sail on the gorgeous ballad, “Librarian,” and the celestial rocker “Smokin’ From Shootin’.” Urges even satiates that old-school MMJ fan, as “Aluminum Park” features the jagged guitar and keys squall that highlighted It Still Moves. Finally, “Touch Me Pt. 2” is perhaps the perfect summation of this album. It’s an eerie, pulsating dance track that like Evil Urges, keeps you drooling for more.