Music Monday - My Morning Jacket

Credit: MMJ

"I can't even see their faces."

That was my first impression as I watched some band from Kentucky walk on stage with enough hair to make a bald man cry. As they began their set, opening for the UK band "Doves", they grabbed my attention again with the melodic pace of  "At Dawn." But it was sixty seconds into the second song of their set, "The Way That He Sings," that a life long fan was born. It has now been ten years since that first impression of "My Morning Jacket" was formed, and it is their music that I am thankful for the most.

"My Morning Jacket", the band for this week's Music Monday, are a five-piece whose music I struggle to define and whose live show is similarly beyond words. But like the bands I have blogged about in the past, I owe them thanks for bringing something unique to my writing routine.With influences from Motown to Led Zeppelin and from Synth to Funk, their organized chaos of soulful rock has kept me on task when writing, even when the distractions of life are at their highest.

Now when you have been playing for fourteen years, released six full length studio albums, and toured as intensely as they have, a bands sound often goes through a few changes, not to mention haircuts. But with the diverse range and passion of Jim James vocals and the rhythmic base of Tom Blankenship being a constant, their music has just continued to grow. Their songs now so layered, it really is difficult to focus on one element to thank. Whether your ears are filled with the intensity of drummer Patrick Hallahan , the multi-talented Carl Broemel on lead guitar or the dancing keys of Bo Koster, I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

So it is with the utmost sincerity that I give thanks to "My Morning Jacket" for their music, their energy, and their candor as they continue to unknowingly make an impact within my writing.

If you like what you hear below, why not add some of their music to your day:
iTunes        MMJ Store        ATO Records
However if their music is already spinning on your turntable, then why not check them out on tour. For those readers in the US and Canada, beginning in August they are hopping across North America and are donating $1 from each ticket sold towards a local charity. So why not get out there and listen to some live music and support your community.

Music Monday