The Order of Nature

My Morning Jacketで知られるJim JamesがTeddy Abrams率いるLouisville Orchestraと作り上げた壮大なフォーク・ロックとクラシックの融合サウンド。
曲はすべてJim Jamesによる最新楽曲。 Jim James はMy Morning Jacketで商業的には最も成功しているが、ソロ作品もリリースしていたり、様々なアーティストの作品やユニークなプロジェクトにも多々参加してきたインディ・ロックのみならずジャズ、ソウル、ファンク、スペーシー、サイケデリックなど音楽性の幅が広いアーティスト。Teddy AbramsはLouisville Orchestraの音楽ディレクターであり、Britt Orchestraのコンダクターも務めるピアニスト/クラリネット奏者でもあり、演劇、バレエなどの音楽も手掛ける作曲家。The Louisville OrchestraはTeddy率いる「この惑星で最も魅惑的なオーケストラ」になることを目標とし活動。180g重量盤LP。

Classical artists sometimes envy rock stars for their fame, perceived level of cool, large paychecks, and creative freedom. At the same time, there are a number of rock & rollers who are jealous of classical performers for their perceived level of intelligence, the greater respect for their accomplishments, and the rarefied atmosphere of their community (they get to play in beautiful old halls rather than drafty hockey arenas). This push and pull sometimes brings rock and classical artists together in something like a mutual admiration society, and this may or may not be what led Jim James, the leader of the group My Morning Jacket, and Teddy Abrams, a contemporary classical composer and the director of the Louisville Orchestra, to collaborate on a project. The Order of Nature is a nine-piece suite focusing on the balance of hatred and compassion in the natural world, including five new songs from Jim James, two from his back catalog, and a pair of covers (The Human Touch and Who Am I), while Abrams arranged the selections for the Louisville Orchestra and conducted the performance. The premiere performances of the song cycle were recorded, and Decca Golds release of The Order of Nature documents its second live performance. Here, Abrams fills out the simple frameworks of James songs with serialist patterns and sustained string and horn lines (and tosses a theremin into the mix during Back to the End of the World for good measure), while James vocals hover over it all with no small bravado. Abrams arrangements are often beautiful and evocative, but in some selections the feeling is a bit stiff, as James clearly meant for the songs to swing and thats something a full orchestra isnt meant to do. Although James sings with his usual level of skill, the rough edges of his performances make for an uncomfortable fit at times, especially when hes focusing on the political and environmental themes that are woven through the lyrics. (And his attempt to throw some rap-informed vocal rhythms into Same Old Idea was just not a good idea.) The Order of Nature is a good showcase for the individual talents of Jim James and Teddy Abrams, but somehow the two halves dont always make an ideal fit, though all parties concerned certainly deserve a tip of the hat for ambition and audacity. ~ Mark Deming