The legendary behemoth of a band My Morning Jacket has some amazing news to share with the world. Their incredibly well-received album originally released in 2005, Z, is being pressed and re-released through the nation’s favorite album subscription team at Vinyl Me, Please.
For those who don’t know, Vinyl Me, Please is an album subscription service based in Boulder, CO that provides the ultimate experience in music listening. They work with bands on re-releases, limited edition releases, and brand new vinyl options available exclusively to their online community. They’ve recently integrated a monthly event, which they have aptyl dubbed “The Spins”, the play their newest selections. Learn more about the unique Vinyl Me, Please experience here.
Z is set to release as the August selection on special edition clear vinyl with blue, white and black splatters – much like paint – which has been designed to reflect the original album cover. The colors were specifically selected by Jim James himself.
Vinyl Me, Please’s Head of Label Relations Cameron Schaefer had a bit to say about the project.
“My Morning Jacket’s ‘Z’ is an album that we, as a team, have always held in high regard. It’s a creative burst from one of the greatest living rock bands and one that flows seamlessly between genres, feeling both new and classic depending on the day. Getting the opportunity to work with Jim James — and the band’s label, ATO — on things like the updated cover color scheme was a lot of fun. We think it’s a vinyl package that is worthy of such a legendary album.”
We got our hands on a copy, and boy is it a dream! Not only have we never seen anything like it – the stark contrast of the colors is attention-getting, almost justifying the quality of the music on the album – but neither has our resident cat Schmidt. He was mesmerized by the spinning colors, his ears perking up as soon as the needle hit the first wave of sound. From the beginning notes of “Wordless Chorus” (But where’s Erykah Badu?) all the way to the last psychedelic note of “Into The Woods”, this cat was staring at the record player. (And that’s just the first half of this double album.) Much to our chagrin, he attempted to paw at the work when it was retrieved from the playing space, but we’re not sure we can blame him. Both the album art, full lyric sleeve, and records themselves are like candy coated heaven, to put it lightly.
There’s something about the crackling of vinyl, and the visible bouncing of the needle over an uneven surface that makes the entire experience worthwhile. The bonus “Chills” track, explanation of the release, poster, and recipe for an alcoholic beverage to enjoy while listening to the tracks don’t hurt either. If you haven’t heard the wonder that is the Z album, we highly suggest it and really, truly, prefer you try it out on vinyl. Heavily reggae and dub influenced, the album maintains the band’s psychedelic rock vibe while offering a sound space for everyone to enjoy, no matter what genre you’re into. We can’t wait for another round (and generation) of eager vinyl enthusiasts to discover the pure magic of this album.
The special edition Vinyl Me, Please Z package includes:
- 2LP clear with multi-color splatter
- Gatefold jacket with VMP Exclusive color scheme
- Lyric booklet & download card
- 12” x 12” original art print by Kathleen Lolley
- Customized cocktail recipe
