Early Recordings CDs

[rob]

So, I have a little extra money...and I'm pretty MMJ obsessive.......but be honest.....are the Early Recordings CDs really must-buys? Can you play them through without cringing and skipping certain tracks? Does anyone play these with any regularity? I sound sampled both discs and some of it sounds really cool......like Dream A Little Dream Of Me is probably worth the cost of that disc, alone. Some other stuff, maybe not so essential. Will I get endless pleasure from these at $13 a pop?  ;D

[Tore]

For me, it was must buys. Would think it should be for any fanatic, but they aren't the MMJs i listen most to, but they have their great moments as well. They Ran-acoustic, Olde September Blues live, adn early versions of other songs, such as Just One Thing are worthwile.

Also some great covers, like White Rabbit (love that one), Rocket Man and Dream a Little Dream.

I would say go for it...  :D

[dragonboy]

Hey Rob,
I would say they're definately worth having if you're an obessive.
I like them both but don't play them anywhere near as often as the 4 albums or Acoustic Live EP.
There's nothing on them that makes me cringe & it's interesting to hear the progression but I don't play them all the way through.
That said, there are some stand-out must have tracks (best version of I Will Be There When You Die/Sunrides IMO, They Ran (acoustic) Tyrone, Rocket Man etc.)
I took my fav songs from both & made one very good Early Recordings mix.
I think I need to hear I Will Be There When You Die/Sunrides & The Girls Scream right now...

[BH]

Must have!  I do listen to them now every bit as much as the albums.  There are some truely great gems on there.  These are great headset CD's.  The stereo mixes on some ot the songs are very trippy!

[October]

weird. i threw in Learning this morning and really enjoyed it for my car ride. the entire albums aren't must have, but several of the songs are...

[Northwoods Jacket]

If you really need to quench your obsession, check out Jim James' band before MMJ, called a Month of Sundays. I haven't made the plunge to buy them but have heard a couple and their good.

See www.gerpotze.com/mymorningjacket/premmj.html

I have Chapter 2 of the MMJ early recordings. There's a great song on it called Nothing 2 Me. It could easily be on any of the new CDs. I'd at least recommend Chapter 2.

Don't buy them from Caiman, though. I've been waiting for a month for Chapter 1.

[Oz]

Well, it seems that I'm the only one, but I do play them all the way through, quite often both of them back to back. A double album full of lo-fi gems, goofy experimentalisms and some of the best tunes they ever did: in my book, that's a must-have. I even like them better than ISM, to be honest.

Their place in my top list:

1. The Tennessee Fire
2. Split EP
3. At Dawn
4. Z
5. Chapter 1: The Sandworm Cometh
6. Chapter 2: Learning
7. Chocolate & Ice
8. It still moves
9. Acoustic citsuocA

[dragonboy]

Well, it seems that I'm the only one, but I do play them all the way through, quite often both of them back to back. A double album full of lo-fi gems, goofy experimentalisms and some of the best tunes they ever did: in my book, that's a must-have. I even like them better than ISM, to be honest.

Their place in my top list:

1. The Tennessee Fire
2. Split EP
3. At Dawn
4. Z
5. Chapter 1: The Sandworm Cometh
6. Chapter 2: Learning
7. Chocolate & Ice
8. It still moves
9. Acoustic citsuocA

Hey O, any particular reason why Acoustic Citsuoca rates so low on your list? I really love this one but at the end of the day, of course, it doesn't matter which albums/EPs we like best just so long as we love the Jacket.
That said, I know you're a long term fan & was just interested in your thoughts  :)

[Oz]

Oh, it's not that I don't like it. This is all within the context of the MMJ catalogue, ofcourse, wich is great in its entirety. It's just that I don't like live albums all that much and especially that I don't really consider them to be artworks on their own - well, sometimes they are, but those are rare. To me, 'Acoustic' is a nice little album with some alternate versions of some early songs. It's nice and I love playing it, but to me it's a sort of a side thing, as it doesn't have new songs or new elements.

I look at it this way: an album is a work of art, like a painting.  Next to that, there's the live experience, wich is also a work of art, but more like a performance. Those two I consider to be equal. However, a document of a performance is not the same as a painting. It's a derivation. A sound recording of a performance is nice, but it's a bit like a photo of a performance. Nothing wrong with it, but it's not the same as an original work of art, like a studio album.

So far for all the stupid pretentious 'art' talk, though. I'm gonna put on my red vinyl copy of 'Acoustic' now and sing along! :)

[dragonboy]

I understand exactly what you're saying about an album being a piece of art. Thanks for the reply  :)

[wellfleet]

i would say must-haves, but you can also file me under obsessed-completist...
they're good because they let you gauge the band's progression since. they're also way cool because the band lets loose and experiments with songs that wouldn't make it into a studio album. they cover the pet shop boys and erykah badu, among others. i have all mmj albums in the changer and i could easily listen to them all the way through.

[rob]

I just ordered both online, and got free shipping for spending over $25.   :o  Really excited to hear these. Thanks for all the comments.

[rob]

These finally came in the mail today......pretty cool.....Time Never Gets is a total trip, wish it was longer......sound quality is a little scary on some tracks........West End Girls totally cracks me up, love it, Jim is crazy.  Anyway, definitely glad I got these......LOTSA gems.

[rob]

Goodnight and Happy Trails is addictive......played it about 5 times last time I played this CD....amazing sounds.

[megisnotreal]

West End Girls

yes

[MyLifeISought]

I'm definitely a big fan of these discs

[rugbird]

However, a document of a performance is not the same as a painting. It's a derivation. A sound recording of a performance is nice, but it's a bit like a photo of a performance. Nothing wrong with it, but it's not the same as an original work of art, like a studio album.

OmeOmy, So how do recordings of covers outrank It Still Moves, a glorious 60 minutes of original rock?

[Tree]

I still have to get the Early Recordings...I really wanna listen to the non-album tracks.

[tomEisenbraun]

However, a document of a performance is not the same as a painting. It's a derivation. A sound recording of a performance is nice, but it's a bit like a photo of a performance. Nothing wrong with it, but it's not the same as an original work of art, like a studio album.

OmeOmy, So how do recordings of covers outrank It Still Moves, a glorious 60 minutes of original rock?

i doubt  it's the recordings of covers so much as the intimate recording atmosphere of the early  originals that never made it onto anything. those are wrapped up in brilliance. and i definitely love almost all of those songs.

[rugbird]

I'll have to hear this Sandworm.  I have a crazy old friend and thats all he listens too.  I say do you like ISM?  No.  Z?  No.  Lets go to the concert - No.

Must be pretty good.