Yim Yames – Tribute To

Just days after the passing of George Harrison back in 2001, My Morning Jacket frontman Jim James recorded an EP of Harrison-written songs that is finally seeing an actual release. Fittingly titled Tribute To, the EP consists of a six songs, the track listing of which suggests that James actually took the time to pick the songs carefully. He very easily could’ve chosen ‘Something’ or ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’ but he didn’t because, clearly, even he didn’t think that he could make them his own ”“ on any level. Instead, he chose four cuts from Harrison’s first solo venture All Things Must Pass, one from The Beatles and one from Revolver.Every single track is slower than the original, with a southern-fried ambiance to them, as well as the trademark (well, it used to be) MMJ sung-in-a-silo reverb. For the most part, the concept of just James and a guitar ”“ sometimes two ”“ works because it strips the songwriting to its bare minimum so as to explore the roots of Harrison’s songcraft. And while it is a great way to appreciate the truly underappreciated talent of Harrison, playing Harrison songs with just a guitar just doesn’t certain song the justice that they so sorely deserve. It just feels as if something is missing from a few of the six songs here. To wit, the lack of sitar on the Revolver track ‘Love You To,’ though an earnest take, sounds rather hollow without the instrument that made the song what it was. On the other hand, ‘Behind that Locked Door’ has more of a tropical feel when slowed down than the original and, thus, has more of a soothing effect than Harrison’s version.That said, James’ take on the final two songs, ‘Sir Frankie Crisp (Let it Roll)’ and ‘All Things Must Pass’ are damn near as powerful as the originals and justify this release by themselves. The former demonstrates James’ emotion towards the loss of Harrison that genuinely shines through for the first time of the EP. When James’ voice becomes a howl during the final two minutes, the song becomes a mantra, an incantation seemingly designed to bring George back. It’s the single most haunting moment of James’ career since his get-me-outta-here scream from ‘Dondante.’ Then there’s ‘Pass,’ a song that George himself says is about “the nature of the physical world, [”¦] the nature of duality.” While George was singing the lyrics in a general, matter-of-fact style about life, James’ reading narrows the focus onto Harrison’s passing.While this tribute is somewhat spotty, it is nonetheless enjoyable both because ”“ let’s face it ”“ these are Harrison songs, but also because of Jim James’ heartfelt playing. It’s as if he’s apologizing for George’s death with this release, but whether it’s an apology to himself or to the public is left to the listener’s discretion. Yet, the importance of this EP isn’t the collection of songs here. Instead, Tribute To might lead MMJ fans, or just young music fans in general who weren’t alive for the Beatles or Harrison’s solo career, to (re)discover All Things Must Pass or (re)visit some Harrison-penned Beatles tunes. To that end, Tribute To is a success both in its name and its goal. 79%Yim Yames Official Site