Like a good consumer, I waited patiently for the release date of My Morning Jacket’s latest (June 10) , and was pleasantly surprised that eMusic had it available on Day One [For the uninitiated, eMusic is a monthly subscription site that specializes in independent labels. I pay $10 a month for 40 downloads. So in essence, I just paid $5.60 for the new MMJ – nice].

A couple years ago, I opined that Nino Moschella’s “Are You For Real” was one of the best Prince songs I’d heard in ages. Well, Evil Urges has a couple of the funkiest Prince songs you’ve heard in a while, too. Listen to the title track, and especially to track 3, “Highly Suspicious”. Jim James is channeling the good ol’ nasty Prince falsetto here. It sounds like Prince fronting Cameo in their prime. Seriously, tell me you don’t hear that. Go to their MySpace now and click on “Highly Suspicious”. Stat.

Quirky, rich and offbeat, the new record is full of Jim and the band blurring the lines between genres: from their brand of southern jam-rock to some serious infusion of funky, soulful grooves. I don’t know how they do it, but My Morning Jacket manages to sound like a great 70’s band from the future. They’re futuristically retro, if I may. I mean, listen to “Thank You Too!”, and the seamless double shot of “Smokin from Shootin” and “Touch Me I’m Going to Scream, Part 2”.

I have great respect for musicians that find a formula that “works” for them, and then continue to morph and tweak it on subsequent albums. Wilco has done it (compare Being There to Summerteeth to Yankee Hotel Foxtrot)… Prince sure did it in the 80’s (especially from Purple Rain to Around the World in a Day – a huge leap). And MMJ is doing it – check out the transitions in atmosphere from It Still Moves to Z to Evil Urges.

Truly a groundbreaking band – and hands down one of the most impressive live acts I’ve ever seen. I look forward to letting this record seep into me.

Buy: Evil Urges
Official Site: MyMorningJacket.com

I’m new to Alejandro Escovedo’s music, but I’ve been familiar with him for years, as a much-respected roots rock singer/songwriter with a huge underground following. Not to mention he’s Sheila E.’s uncle (Sheila’s dad, Pete, is his brother). But I’ve never delved into the music until now. My loss, I know.

Real Animal is Alejandro’s eighth studio album since his acclaimed 1992 debut, Gravity. Prior to that, Alejandro was in San Francisco punk band The Nuns. After a move to Austin, he formed bands Rank and File and True Believers. But it’s his solo work that has garnered the respect of people from Springsteen to Lucinda Williams to Steve Earle.

So my first impressions of the album are very positive. I tend to gravitate toward the slower songs like “Swallows of San Juan”, “Sensitive Boys”, “Hollywood Hills”, and the beautiful “Slow Down”.

the past is gone
but it still lives inside of me
hold on tight
as we slip into this revelry

slow down slow down
it’s moving much too fast
can’t live in this moment
when i’m tangled in the past

But the rockers are growing on me too…the opening track, “Always a Friend” is a straight ahead rocker that Bruce and the E Street Band learned before they brought Alejandro out for an encore in Houston a couple months ago. And songs like “Chelsea Hotel ’78” and the tribute to Iggy Pop – “Real As An Animal” – sound great turned up loud and tearing down the road, making me temporarily forget about $4 gas and 15 miles to the gallon. We all need an escape in this day and age, and this album is a great side trip.

Buy: Real Animal
Official Site: AlejandroEscovedo.com

I can’t claim to know much about Brazilian music legend Sergio Mendes, beside the fact that I love this song from his 1992 album Brasileiro…

Mendes has been active in the music industry since 1961, when he formed the Sexteto Bossa Rio. In 1965, he moved to New York City, and a year later formed Brasil ’66, which hit platinum with its debut, Sergio Mendes and Brasil ’66 – featuring “Mas Que Nada”.

Fast forward to Tuesday, June 10th, when Mendes will release his latest, Encanto (nice cover up there, eh?). Along for the ride are Latin sensation Juanes, Natalie Cole, Ledisi, Herb Alpert, and the ever-ubiquitous will.i.am, who recommended his buddy Fergie to sing on the will-produced track, “The Look of Love” – a Burt Bacharach track that Mendes originally recorded with Brasil ’66 in the late sixties.

Now, it’s up to you to decide whether will and Fergie enhance the song, or poison it. My personal opinion: I think they’re starting to wear out their welcome; like they’ve hit their peak. But that’s one opinion. Here it is:

Sergio Mendes feat. Fergie – The Look of Love (streaming) – also in Quicktime

Another tune from the new album:

Sergio Mendes – Funky Bahia (streaming)

Links: Official Site | MySpace | Buy the album | eCard |Youtube EPK

While we wait for Michael – King of the Friday Five – to post his latest (Michael – you okay??), I pose one question to you all…

Why did I have a vivid dream about “Convoy” singer C.W. McCall the other night?

The dream: I was reading an article about a new album or a new tour by C.W. Next thing I knew, I was on the phone calling his house, and his wife answered. I asked if C.W. was available. She asked who was calling, and I gave my best dream-induced explanation of who I was (I was still Pete and with Ickmusic.com, a music blog, blah blah blah).

The next second I was knocking at the front screen door of a modest home in a middle class neighborhood. I could see into the window to the left. There was C.W. McCall, sleeping in recliner. He was shirtless, and he had a large beer belly. End of dream.

I’ll have my random music dreams occasionally where I’ll be at a Prince or Springsteen show – sometimes even performing on stage. But C.W. McCall?? Ah, the ways of the human brain.

Is this too much information?