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Michael Andrews
WHO: My Morning Jacket, Parker t Lily, Doug Gillard
WHERE: 40 Watt Club
WHEN: Saturday, June 4
HOW MUCH: $15
K entucky's My Morning Jacket has only been around for little
more than six years, but already the band has racked up an
impressive amount of original material, numerous lineup
changes and a healthy travelogue that
has included much-anticipated perfor
mances at the last two Bonnaroo festi
vals. Also, MM3 is a band that exists
rather comfortably out of time. The
solos are trebly and drenched with
feedback, almost Skynyrdian. Frontman
Jim James' high, sorrowful vocal style
has been saddled with seemingly end
less Neil Young and Brian Wilson com
parisons. In turn, the group provides an
intriguing body of work carved out by
dogged DIY perseverance.
Fronted by hirsute singer-guitarist
James, the band arrived comparatively
quietly with 1999's The Tennessee Fire,
the debut full-length released by
California indie label Darla. In those
days, the lineup included guitarist
Johnny Quaid (also James' cousin),
bassist Two Tone Tommy and drummer
J. Glenn. That incarnation of My
Morning Jacket was a critical success in
the States, but its musk resonated far
better with European audiences, partic
ularly of the Belgian and Dutch variety.
My Morning Jacket's 2001 release At
Dawn also found critical success. But by
that time Wilco had fused together
their Southwest rock and experimental
leanings, the Flaming Lips had become
a household name and MMJ's stomping,
distorted brand of heavy rock was
noticed by both the press and a wave
of new listeners. The lineup had already
shifted again, seeing the entry of keyboard player Danny Cash and
new drummer ICC. Guetig—who would soon be replaced by Patrick
Hallahan, a longtime friend of James.
Shortly after, It Still Moves arrived in late 2003, MMJ had yet
another lineup (Quaid and Cash parted soon after the album's com
pletion; James brought in keyboard player Bo Koster and guitarist
Carl Broemel), new album and new record label (The Dave Matthews-
owned BMG offshoot ATO). The band's unhinged sound had con
gealed into a conflictingly brawny and fragile high-wire act thanks
arJcet
ORPHinG
psychedelic-tinged, slightly Southern rock and diverse, harmonic
arrangements have made the sound popular with an eclectic mix:
jam band crowds, indie audiences, alt-country hipsters, etc., etc.
In 2004, MMJ and Darla issued two Early Recordings volumes,
respectively subtitled The Sandman Cometh and Learning. The two
discs compiled earty 7* tracks, compilation appearances, home
recordings, ersatz covers and other such rarities—many featuring
either the band's initial Tennessee Fire lineup or siipply James him
self supplying all the instruments. Songs like "That Someone Else
Was You* and “Weeks Go By Like Days* only hinted at the band's
more cohesive later model while covers of Jefferson Airplane's
"White Rabbit," The Fet Shop Boys' "West End Girls* and, for the real
obscurists, Erykah Bader's "Tyrone* offer
a glimpse into James' eclectic personal
tastes as both a songwriter and per
former.
*1 don't think you can compare then
with now, really,* says James. "We were
much younger then, so obviously the
[earty songs] sound much different
Plus, the band has gone through so
many lineup changes. But I also think
that's been fun in a way. 'cause it
means we have a whole roster of stuff
that sounds completely different
People might get into it all, or maybe
just different periods.*
Next, the band heads back to
Tennessee for another Bonnaroo, and
James would prefer to think that's just
part of the gig anyway.
"We try not to care about group
divisions as far as audiences and stuff
like that because that's just silly,* he
says. "We welcome anyone at our
shows. The great thing about music is
- that it can bring people of all walks
together. We tour a lot and play festival
dates when we can. That's usually very
fun because it allows you to play to a
larger crowd than you might be used to
and sometimes you get to watch your
heroes perform from the side of the
stage. I mean. I've seen Bob Dylan,
Neil Young and the Flaming Lips all
within pissing distance!*
to James' propulsive vocals and the band's unpredictable guitar
attack, both evidenced on anthemk tracks like 'Golden,*
'Dancefloors* and "Magheeta* Again like Wilco and the Lips, the
(imOHOOP
MCMOMtS
TASTY FOR MOUTHS! FUN FOR BRAINS!
JUNKMAN S DAUGHTER'S BROTHER • 458 E. CLAYTON ST. • S43-4454
Five Points 543-2516
OF
Forgetta 'Bout I
1573 S. Lumpkin
★ NAYMESTER*
SPECIALS
41 AA SHOOTERS
rOQHTLY
$3.00
DOMESTIC
REFILLS (M-W)
Buy One, Get One Free
Lunch Special*
*w/menUon of thlaad
DELIVERY • CATERING • PRIVATE PARTIES • DINE-IN
*7
26 FLA6POLE.COM • JUNE 1, 2005