The idea of the “super group” has been around for quite some time. Whether pairing Louis Armstrong with Duke Ellington, or John Lennon with Eric Clapton, the concept is not new. Who could ever forget the extraordinary collaboration of George Harrison, Roy Orbison, Tom Petty, Bob Dylan…and that fifth guy that no one can ever remember…oh yeah, Jeff Lynne (seriously how did he get into that group?!)? The tradition of such collaborative work is as strong as ever, and with the release of their self-titled, debut album, the Monsters of Folk have stepped into the scene as the newest iteration of the “super-group.”
The Monsters of Folk are Jim James (My Morning Jacket), M. Ward, Conor Oberst (Bright Eyes), and Mike Mogis (Bright Eyes). The four have collaborated for a number of years, occasionally appearing together on stage, but for the most part they have focused on their various other projects. Despite their continued touring and new album releases (My Morning Jacket, M. Ward, and Conor Oberst have all released albums in the past couple of years), the band was finally able to come together for a studio recording, and the results are definitely worth a listen. Lyrically and musically, the album is excellent, and anyone who enjoys the music of the individual members, will definitely enjoy the product of the four together:
Monsters of Folk – “The Right Place”
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But I use the expression “the four together” loosely. The challenge of any super group is to bring numerous, individual artists together to create a new sound…a new band. And in this, the Monsters of Folk have fallen short. At no time while listening to this album did I feel like I was listening to something new, something unique…something special. With each song you can clearly tell who brought their own influence forward. Each of the members gets their moments to shine, but at the expense of the others. This doesn’t necessarily detract from the quality of the album…but I feel as though I could get the same effect simply by listening to M. Ward, Bright Eyes, and My Morning Jacket on shuffle.
Monsters of Folk – “The Sandman, the Brakeman, and Me”
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Perhaps this isn’t entirely fair, M. Ward’s vocals, for example, certainly gain a depth and texture when he is backed by the soulful sounds of Jim James, but I had hoped for more. The album seems not so much a collaboration as it is a compilation…and while I definitely enjoyed listening to the album, I was left wanting so much more.
Monsters of Folk – “Baby Boomer”
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Posted by the Needle
