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My Morning Jacket
In its original incarnation, from the early '70s to the early '80s, Southern Rock was a sharp sound that featured husky voices and just a hint of Country. But without anywhere to go and the death of key players (Duane Allman and Lynyrd Skynyrd's Ronnie Van Zant) it went into remission. Some twenty years later, Southern Rock returned with groups like the Kings Of Leon and My Morning Jacket. Like anything else that gets musically reborn, they are not a carbon copy of the past but rather a reinterpretation. And sharing a trait of many great Southern Rock bands, My Morning Jacket started as a family project.
Based in Louisville, Kentucky, My Morning Jacket started as a partnership of cousins Jim James (vocals/guitar) and Johnny Quaid (guitar). In '98, the duo added Two-Tone Tommy (bass) and J. Glenn (drums). They landed an indie deal and released their debut "Tennessee Fire." At the end of a lengthy tour, Glenn departed and was replaced by K.C. Gueting. The group also added Danny Cash on keyboards. This line-up recorded "At Dawn." Soon though, Gueting's brief tenure was over and Patrick Hallahan was on the drum stool. Signed by RCA, My Morning Jacket released the EP "Sweatbees" before unfurling their full-length major label debut "It Still Moves."
The group played nearly 400 shows in 18 months to promote the album (that's enough to wear anybody out). Then, in early '04 both Quaid and Cash departed. Guitarist Carl Broemel and keyboardist Bo Koster were brought on board.
Since using the studio located on Quaid's grandparent's farm, where they recorded "It Still Moves," was not an option, My Morning Jacket traveled to upstate New York's Allaire Studios to lay down tracks for their sophomore release "Z." The group was also seen in the Cameron Crowe disaster Elizabethtown where they portrayed a fictional band called Ruckus and took a swing at Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Freebird."
My Morning Jacket presented a live career retrospective (to date) when they unfurled '06's "Okonokos." That was followed by "Evil Urges" in '08. Prior to the album's release the group appeared on Saturday Night Live where they performed the title track and "I'm Amazed."
Taking a break from My Morning Jacket, James was part of Monsters Of Folk with M. Ward and Bright Eyes' Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis. Though the four had played together both informally and onstage since '04, it wasn't until '09 that they released their self-titled debut.
A Madison Square Garden concert, that was part on CNN's '09 New Year's Eve show, preceded an Australian tour opening for Neil Young (of course). Returning to the the U.S., My Morning Jacket put out "Celebracion de la Ciudad Natal," a live set, on Record Store Day (4/18).
The group's sixth studio album," Circuital," dropped in '11. "There's something old and dirty-sounding about it," claimed James.
Studio Albums:
1999 The Tennessee Fire
2001 At Dawn
2003 It Still Moves
2005 Z
2008 Evil Urges
2011 Circuital
Live Albums:
2006 Okonokos
2009 Live From Las Vegas Exclusively At The Palms
2009 Celebracion de la Ciudad Natal
Somebody might want to check the birth certificate because Jim James sounds like Neil Young's offspring. However unlikely that may be, James is at the very least channeling Young. He has captured both Young's twang and drawl.
Over the course of their recording career, My Morning Jacket has moved away from acoustic Country influenced material. That and improved songwriting has made them a better band. "It Still Moves" opens with "Mahgeetah" a fun jangle Rocker. "Dancefloors" shows the Young influence in full-bloom. The pumping "Easy Morning Rebel" and "Rollin Back" put the album over.
On "Z," James still exhibits his Young influences especially on the ballad "Knot Comes Loose." And while My Morning Jacket has been called an American take on Radiohead (is that a compliment?), "Z" works best when they play it straight on "What A Wonderful Man" with its searing guitar solo, "Off The Records" and "Anytime." "Gideon" is another highlight as MMJ comes close to vintage U2. The album slows down toward the end with only "Lay Low" having any appeal. But the real weak spot is "Into The Woods" which sounds like it was recorded on a damaged carousel.
"At Dawn" and "Tennessee Fire" are acceptable efforts though they are a bit laid back and occasionally lose focus. "Tennessee Fire" has the best song from this period, the cooking acoustic guitar driven "It's About Twilight Now."
It's a long way to the top and along the way many bands create a lot a great music that hardly anyone notices. And once a band become famous, only die-hard fans, and they are generally few and far between, seek out those long lost or out of print indie releases. Sometimes a label will release a group's early work but it's either an effort to cash-in or the group has missed an album deadline. Either way, there's little effort in either packaging or promotion. My Morning Jacket has a slightly different approach. Why not resurrect those early tunes live? That's what they do on "Okonokos." Not totally ignoring market realities they also include songs from the popular "Z." My Morning Jacket brings energy and enthusiasm to the proceedings and the audience responds. The set features James' expressive vocals ("The Way That He Sings" and "Anytime") augmented by impressive guitar and keyboard work ("One Big Holiday") provided by Broemel and Koster respectively.
My Morning Jacket tries on a lot of hats with "Evil Urges." There's dreamy Folk-Rock ("Touch Me I'm Going To Scream Pt. 1"), Country ("I'm Amazed," "Look At You" and "Sec Walkin"), punch-drunk Prince Funk ("Highly Suspicious"), Radiohead wanderings ("Touch Me I'm Going To Scream Pt. 2") and post-Punk ("Aluminum Park" and "Remnants"). The latter is the only clear success though My Morning Jacket's Country forays often shine.
A lot of groups create a collection of popular songs, then in a blatant attempt to milk their success, the band does an unplugged set of those very same songs. Leave it to My Morning Jacket to again take a alternate spin.
"Circuital" sounds like the acoustic version of a landmark Rock album. That's is especially evident on the track "Holdin' On To Black Metal." The title track, "You Wanna Freak Out" and "Outta My System," which remembers a wild past left in the dust, are well crafted and have the hooks and melodies great songs possess. Yet the songs defy a simple appraisal and have their own intrinsic appeal.