Back in February of 2013 My Morning Jacket’s Jim James released his debut solo record called Regions of Light and Sound. That record was extremely disappointing. Joey Kneiser has just released the record we all wanted and expected from Jim James at that time.

With The Wildness Joey Kneiser has put out a gem, his vocal stylings are similar to Jim James and at times, like on “Every Port in the Storm,” he jams like My Morning Jacket.  Kneiser puts a country tinge on his music and is careful to include some rockers as well. On “Heaven Only Wants Us Once We’re Dead” he shows off his penmanship with his lyrics only sounding better with his sweet bellow. “The Heart Ever Breaking” finds him spitting out a deadpan Tom Petty song, Kneiser even nails Petty’s vocal inflections and of course his sense of melody and hooks. The song sounds like it wouldn’t have been terribly out of place on Damn The Torpedoes back in 1979. “Run Like Hell” and “The Wildness” capture americana music perfectly, with bits of twang paired with guitar riffs and big choruses. The Wildness wins the best lyrics competition with this great roll: “Rock n Roll doesn’t lie / You just don’t wanna know the truth / it loved you more when you were young / before you had so much to lose.”

It’s rare an album clicks instantly. The Wildness is an incredibly smooth listen, the songs flow naturally and there are enough hooks and change-ups on the album to keep it away from monotony.

Key Tracks: “The Wildness” “Heaven Only Wants Us When We’re Dead” “The Heart Ever Breaking” “The Good Ones”