My Morning Jacket "Evil Urges"
"Evil Urges" by My Morning Jacket includes "Look At You", "Good Intentions" and "I'm Amazed" and has been acclaimed in some critical circles. The group has become involved in the 2008 Presidential Race - Interestingly, in 2008, Senator Hillary Clinton earned more Votes than any other Presidential Primary candidate in American history (hillaryclintonforum, the denver group)

Dissapointing
MMJ tries to create a innovative synthesis of musical styles and instead winds up with a mess of a record. "Highly Suspicious" is just flat out embarrassing and cringe-inducing. There are a couple decent tracks here but in general the song writing has taken a big step in the wrong direction. I'd happily give back the decent songs if they could make the truly awful ones go away as well.

what have they done?
Love it love it love it. Saw them live @ rainy Bonnaroo 08' and went right out and purchased this record ... for me it's probably my favorite album in the last dozen years, and evokes comparison to Radiohead's epic OK Computer. (for me) Here's my buddy's email response after he went out and got it on my recommendation: "I liked it! The songs are a refreshing blend of everything from country to southern rock to 70's singer/songwriter to heavy pop and just about everything in between. The older analog effects work nicely with their overall sound. Everything from octavers to analog slapback reverbs and delays. Highly Suspicious sounded like something that would come of Prince singing and playing guitar while Devo and Oingo Boingo backed him up! Trippy. The drums left me wanting a bit, but the recording on them is lush and sweet. Kinda like how Lenny records his drums. The songwriter (if it's one guy) is definitely a product of the singer/songwriter genre of the 70s. I'd love to hear Springsteen do Aluminum Park! Was surprised by the diversity of the styles contained within. You wouldn't think you'd hear a track like Evil Urges and Sec Walkin on the same CD."

I smell a Grammy nomination. Love it love it love it.

I Love This Record
I believe "Evil Urges" is the best MMJ record yet and highly recommend it. I purchased "Z" last year based on one song and really enjoyed the entire album. I also have "It Still Moves" and "The Tennessee Fire". It seems to me that every MMJ record has been an improvement on the previous record, and that is quite an accomplishment.

You're missing the point
I think this is a brilliant album and all the negative reviews are coming from early die-hard fans who don't want the band's sound to change. The truth is things do change and in this case from good to excellent. I have to say this is one of my favorite albums of 2008 and key words here are fun and risk-taking. Don't let the negative reviews turn you away from this, but also don't expect that early MMJ sound... these boys have grown up...