[rating=3.50]
Yim Yames’ (nee Jim James’) homage to the late George Harrison, Tribute to, is truly a labor of love. Recorded in 2001 in a moment of inspired grieving upon hearing of the man’s passing, the titular leader of My Morning Jacket channels the spirit of The Beatles’ lead guitarist as he plays an unusual cross-section of his music.
The sound of the 26-minute plus EP stirs almost as much as the singing and playing on acoustic guitars. "Long Long Long" seems to echo through time as it opens the six-song selection, while "Behind That Locked Door" calls upon the positive spirits of individuals that comprise a larger community.
To his great credit, Yames/James doesn’t overly belabor the songs in his performances. Using banjo in his reinvention of the original Indian inspiration of "Love You To,” he doesn’t have to: he manages to communicate the dolorous and the ecstatic in the wordless wail of his voice as well as in the literal singing of the lyrics. Likewise, within "My Sweet Lord," a deep serenity arises from the authoritative strumming of the guitar as much as throughout the billowing harmony overdubs.
Tribute To is ultimately effective because, by the time it closes so effectively with the acceptance resonating in All Things Must Pass, this comparatively young artist manages to capture both the whimsy and the somberly philosophical aspect of the author. "The Ballad of Sir Frankie Crisp (Let It Roll)" may be the most slight of the songs included here, but it is essential to the accurate depiction of George Harrison’s personality and how it connects with Jim James. The choice of acoustic piano is particularly astute in rendering the next to the last track here especially in the way it sets up the gentle strains of the final cut.
With the off-white embossed cover art recalling The Beatles’ White Album, Jim James/Yim Yames utilizes a fine attention to detail on every level of Tribute To, as befits the eminently honorable intent.
