Jay Bennett - The Magnificent Defeat

I while back I posted something and mentioned that I was listening to Jay Bennett's The Magnificent Defeat. Klein freaked and wanted to have the album. Now, it took me awhile, but here it is for Klein and the rest of you. But before I you go and download it let me give you my two cents, which inevitably will become a dollar you didn't ask for.

Jay Bennett got his first musical chops while in Titanic Love Affair. TLA was a middling power pop group from Urbana IL. Think Mudhoney without the Seattle Sound. Nothing special. Jay toiled in this band as well as Steve Pride and His Blood Kin. Jay's real talent was found in producing and engineering. He also taught Math. Jay engineered albums for low end alt country acts such as Tim Easton, Allison Moorer, and Sheryl Crow. His relationship with Allison Moorer eventually brought him to the notice of Jeff Tweedy of Wilco. Jeff brought Jay on to Wilco as a touring member for AM. Jay was made a full member while recording the fantastic Being There. Jay played everything under the sun on that record. This would eventually become Jay's m.o. multi-instrumentalist.

Jeff found a unique writing partner in Jay. Jay was also the driving force behind the groups collaboration with English troubadour Billy Bragg on the Mermaid Avenue Records. Jeff and Jay's most fruitful collaboration was 1999's Summerteeth. It was Jay's crowning achievement in Wilco. He was able to put his stamp of a Beach Boy's-esqe harmonies and arrangments. Jeff really needed Jay and Jay needed Jeff. They worked well as a writing/producing team. 2001 brought about Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. And well if you have not seen Sam Jones' documentary "I Am Trying To Break Your Heart," about the making of that record, I cannot do the story justice. My suggestion is that you rent it. The short of is Jay left the band under dubious circumstances. "A circle can only have one center."

Jay was now free to do what he wanted. His first forary into solo music is to team up with a long time friend, Edward Burch and recorded the modest The Palace at 4 am and Palace 1919. The songs where great, a mix of stuff he and Jeff wrote but did not record for YHF, the Mermaid Avenue sessions and others.

Jay then went off on his own with the Ryan Adam's-esqe task of recording three albums in one year. First of which was Bigger Then Blue. Jay's second album The Beloved Enemy came out just 6 months later. Of course, marriage, divorce, and producing an album for Blues Traveler can put a cramp in anyone's plans. The third of the trilogy did not come out in 2006.

That brings us to this point. The Magnificent Defeat is a mess of an album. Apparently is culled from 70 + songs. It never finds it voice, it jumps from style to style with no reason to do so. Also the production is short of terrible. Jay, who is so enamored with the fact that he can play 50 instruments feels as though he should play them on every song. With several effects and vocal changes thrown in their for good measure. The album feels like someone who has discovered Pro-tools for the first time. The album is overindulgent and pretenious. With that being said there are some great songs on it. The opener "Slow Beautiful, Seconds Faster" is what is right and wrong about this album. "5th Grade" is what is right about song writing. "I Feel Fine" reminds us about why we fell in Love with Big Star and the like. The album is worth a listen, maybe a couple if you are big Summerteeth fan. Enjoy.


***This post updated while listening to Amiee Mann's I'm with Stupid***