My Morning Jacket

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My Morning Jacket
My Morning Jacket, 2015.jpg
My Morning Jacket performing at Newport Folk Festival in 2015
Background information
Origin Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
Genres Psychedelic rock, alt country, roots rock, indie rock, country rock, southern rock
Years active 1998–present
Labels Darla, ATO, Capitol, MapleMusic Recordings (Canada)
Associated acts Winter Death Club
Website mymorningjacket.com
Members Jim James
Tom Blankenship
Patrick Hallahan
Bo Koster
Carl Broemel
Past members Johnny Quaid
Danny Cash
J. Glenn
Chris Guetig

My Morning Jacket is an American rock band formed in Louisville, Kentucky in 1998. The band currently consists of vocalist/guitarist Jim James, bassist Tom Blankenship, drummer Patrick Hallahan, guitarist Carl Broemel, and keyboardist Bo Koster.[1] The band's sound, rooted in rock and country, is often experimental and psychedelic. The group amassed a following beginning in the 2000s in part due to their live performances.

The group first found success in Europe after the release of their debut album, The Tennessee Fire (1999). Their next release, At Dawn (2001), led to a large stateside following and preceded several lineup changes. After signing to major label ATO Records, the group released two albums, It Still Moves (2003) and Z (2005), with the latter representing a critical breakthrough. Their next release, Evil Urges (2008), was more polarizing for fans and critics, while Circuital (2011), their sixth album, saw a more measured response. After many years of side projects and touring, the band's seventh album, The Waterfall, was released in 2015. The group's eighth album is set to be released in 2016.

History

Formation and debut releases (1998–2000)

My Morning Jacket was formed in Louisville, Kentucky in 1998 by singer-songwriter Jim James. James created the group as an outlet for acoustic songs he had developed on his own that his band at the time, Month of Sundays, could not use.[2] The group's first lineup included his cousin, Johnny Quaid (guitar), Tom Blankenship (bass), and J. Glenn on drums, all formerly of Shelbyville-based emo-punk band Winter Death Club. The band's name stems from James, who once found a tainted coat with the emblazoned letters MMJ.[3]

The band's debut album, The Tennessee Fire, was released in May 1999. It was mildly successful in the U.S., though it became a surprise hit internationally, particularly in the Netherlands. Soon, the group launched a European tour, where they received high marks from Dutch press; they also appeared in the Dutch documentary, This is NOT America. Danny Cash joined the band as keyboardist in 2000.[4]

Early years and breakthrough (2001–2007)

The band's sophomore effort, At Dawn (2001), helped grow the group's fanbase in their home country. For the album, James recorded his vocals in a grain silo, creating a sound heavy on echo that became a hallmark of the band's early releases. Subsequently, drummer J. Glenn left the band, and was briefly replaced by Chris Guetig.[5] Patrick Hallahan, James' childhood best friend, replaced Guetig.[4] In the early 2000s, the band toured heavily, often supporting bands such as Guided by Voices, Doves, and Foo Fighters.[4] The group signed to independent label ATO Records in 2002 ahead of their third album, It Still Moves, which saw release in September 2003 to wide acclaim. In January 2004, Cash and Quaid announced their departure from the group; they were replaced by keyboardist Bo Koster and guitarist Carl Broemel.[4]

Z, released in 2005, became their breakthrough album.[3] It received highly positive critical reviews; in his review for Rolling Stone, veteran critic David Fricke wrote, "America is a lot closer to getting its own Radiohead, and it isn't Wilco." The album was noticeable for a break from James' heavily-reverbed vocals, and featured experimentation with dub, reggae and psychedelic rock.[5] Okonokos, a live album captured while the band toured Z, was released in 2006.

The band's four-hour late-night set in the rain at Bonnaroo 2008 has been regarded among their best performances.[6][7]

Shift in sound (2008–2013)

The band's next release, Evil Urges, marked a considerable shift in their sound; it received polarizing reactions from fans and critics. Many songs on the album developed on 90-minute walks James would embark on in Louisville; its lyrics centered on a relationship that fell apart shortly before recording.[7] To promote the album, the band appeared on Saturday Night Live. The band toured in support of the record that summer, which included a storied appearance at Bonnaroo Music Festival in Manchester, Tennessee. The band, beginning at midnight, performed for four hours in the rain. Unfazed by a torrential downpour for much of its first half, the band's set went on to feature thirty five songs, including all but two tracks from Evil Urges and numerous covers, and featured guest appearances from Kirk Hammett of Metallica. The set has commonly been regarded as among the band's personal best and in the history of that festival; Rolling Stone called it "career-defining."[7] Evil Urges was nominated for a Grammy for Best Alternative rock Album. To close out the decade, My Morning Jacket performed before a sold-out crowd at Madison Square Garden in New York. The entire band appeared as themselves in the American Dad! episode, "My Morning Straitjacket", which aired on November 22, 2009.

In 2010, My Morning Jacket took up residency at New York's Terminal 5 on October 18, 19, 21, 22 and 23, performing one of their five studio releases each night along with additional material from the relevant period.[8] According to the September 16, 2010 issue of Rolling Stone, My Morning Jacket has started working on their next LP. "We've got five songs done," says front man Jim James. "It'll probably be out next spring." James is co-producing the record with The Decemberists collaborator Tucker Martine in an old church in My Morning Jacket's hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. "We're trying to do everything but the strings live," says James. "There's something old and dirty-sounding about it." Their sixth album Circuital was released on May 31, 2011. The band toured for two years in support of Circuital. In 2013, they embarked on a tour alongside Wilco and Bob Dylan that left them disappointed, as they had falsely been told Dylan desired to work with them.[9]

Recent events (2014–present)

While the band took a break, James stayed busy, touring behind his solo album, Regions of Light and Sound of God, and collaborating with Elvis Costello and Marcus Mumford for the New Basement Tapes project. These individual side projects, rather than detach the musicians, worked to strengthen their skill as musicians, according to Blankenship. This led to a greater appreciation of the group upon their return to it.[10] The band's next album, The Waterfall, was mainly recorded at a hilltop mansion in the coastal town of Stinson Beach, California.[11] The band felt the surroundings were "slightly supernatural,"[12] which produced a largely idyllic recording process.[9] The Waterfall was released in May 2015, debuting number 11 on the Billboard 200 in the U.S., with 33,000 copies sold in its first week.[13]

The sessions for The Waterfall were fruitful, producing over 24 completed songs, enough to fill two albums. Consequently, the band will release a second album of material in 2016, although material for that album was incomplete at the release of The Waterfall.[11]

Band members

Current members

  • Jim James – vocals, lead and rhythm guitars (1998–present)
  • Tom Blankenship – bass (1998–present)
  • Patrick Hallahan – drums, percussion (2002–present)
  • Bo Koster – keyboards, percussion, backing vocals (2004–present)
  • Carl Broemel – guitar, pedal steel, saxophone, backing vocals (2004–present)

Former members

  • Johnny Quaid – guitar, backing vocals (1998–2004)
  • Danny Cash – keyboards (2000–2004)
  • J. Glenn – drums (1998–2000)
  • Chris "KC" Guetig – drums (2000–2002)

Timeline

Side projects and guest appearances

Side projects

  • Carl Broemel has released two solo albums, Lose What's Left in 2004 and All Birds Say in 2010.
  • James released the EP "Tribute to" as Yim Yames on August 4, 2009. It features versions of six George Harrison songs recorded live in 2001.
  • James, along with Mike Mogis, Conor Oberst and M.Ward, formed the group Monsters of Folk, who released a self-titled album on September 22, 2009.
  • Jim James released his debut solo album, Regions of Light and Sound of God on ATO Records on February 5, 2013.
  • Patrick Hallahan is a member of the group Spanish Gold who released their debut album South of Nowhere on May 27, 2014.[14]
  • Johnny Quaid has released 2 albums with his project The Ravenna Colt. Slight Spell was released in 2010 and Terminal Current in 2015 on Removador Recordings & Solutions and Karate Body Records.

Guest appearances

Discography

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Studio albums

Film, TV and compilation appearances

Film

TV

Compilation appearances

References

  1. Perry, Johnathan. My Morning Jacket Turns up the Heat. The Boston Globe. December 4, 2006.
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  8. Greenblatt, Jeffrey "MMJ To Play 5 Nights At Terminal 5" Hidden Track (Glide Magazine) - June 9, 2010
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  14. McCabe, Sean "Spanish Gold Reclaim Spirit of Classic MTV on Out on the Street" Rolling Stone February 24, 2014
  15. "On Approach > Credits" Allmusic
  16. "Young the Giant sign to Y&LC"[dead link] God is in the TV - December 13, 2010
  17. Amrit "Dr. Dog – 'Shadow People' (Stereogum Premiere)" Stereogum - February 9, 2011
  18. Hasty, Katie "Jack White and Wanda Jackson cover Bob Dylan" Hit Fix - December 13, 2010
  19. Justin "Abigail Washburn - City Of Refuge" entertainment-focus.com - February 6, 2011 Archived February 9, 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  20. Evans, Rob "SXSW: Preservation Hall Jazz Band at The Moody Theater" Soundspike.com - March 18, 2011
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  24. Gundersen, Edna "John Fogerty talks about sharing songs with Everyone" USA Today - February 25, 2013
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  26. "Soundtracks for The Lookout" IMDb
  27. "Soundtracks for Elizabethtown" IMDb
  28. "Soundtracks for I'm Not There" IMDb
  29. "Soundtracks for Stick It" IMDb
  30. "Full cast and crew for Before the Music Dies" IMDb
  31. "Soundtracks for He's Just Not That Into You" IMDb
  32. "Soundtracks for Winter Passing" IMDb
  33. Graff, Gary "Love for Levon Concert Gets March Release on CD/DVD, Will Air on TV" Billboard - February 5, 2103
  34. "Music From How I Met Your Mother > Season 6 > False Positive - Songs Tunefind.com
  35. "VH1 Storytellers Set To Return With Episodes Featuring Kings Of Leon, Cee Lo, Death Cab For Cutie And More" VH1 - February 16, 2011
  36. "Music From House > Season 7 > After Hours - Songs" Tunefind

External links