Portland State Theatre

[LaurieBlue]

http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/news/local/051018morning.shtml

Review: Morning Jacket better than this

By AIMSEL PONTI, Special to Portland Press Herald

A windy evening blew a small but enthusiastic crowd into the State Theatre on Sunday night for the band My Morning Jacket. I wasn't all that surprised to see such a small turnout of maybe 300 or so people, as My Morning Jacket is still a relatively obscure band and receives virtually no airplay on commercial radio in this area.

MMJ hails from Louisville, Ky., and is a five-piece band. They are fronted by singer/lyricist Jim James, who has a very distinct wail of a voice that reminds me a bit of Black Francis from the Pixies but a bit richer, stronger and more melodic.

Also in the band are Carl Broemer on guitar, Bo Koster on keyboards, Two Tone Tommy on bass and Patrick Hallahan on guitar.

MMJ recently released, to considerable favorable reviews, their fifth record, simply called "Z," on the ATO label. During Sunday night's performance, they played several tracks off this record including "Gideon," "What a Wonderful Man," "Dondante," and a personal favorite, the bouncy "Off the Record."

It's tough to pinpoint their style of music, but the phrases "jam band" and "alt country" certainly come to mind. Sometimes there would be an organ brought into the mix, other times a saxophone. There were certainly lots of guitars, and thoughts of The Who and other bands with ties to the '70s came to mind.

Per usual, the sound at the State Theatre was lacking, echoey and less than stellar.

Moments before MMJ took the stage, it was announced that bassist Two Tone Tommy had fallen ill from a shellfish dinner and was at the ER. It was too bad; the bass is one of those instruments that you don't realize is so important until you don't hear it.

However, donning a hospital wrist band and johnny, Two Tone did manage to join the band for their three-song set of encores, so all was not lost.

I think this band is better than their show Sunday night. Between the lack of bass and the iffy sound, it was tough to get a full understanding of them. However, they truly are a great band, and "Z" is an excellent record.

Oddly enough, there was a silver lining. None other than Ottawa's alt country darling, Kathleen Edwards, along with a full band, opened the show.

Edwards played for nearly an hour an offering of songs from her debut "Failer" as well as the more recent record "Back to Me."

[kymoose]

This dude (or dudette) may be a tool.

[eriggy]

Indeed. Jam band? Alt-country? Was she partially blind,partially deaf or both?

And to say Kathleen Edwards outdid MMJ shows her limited musical taste and scope.

I was there and I completely disagree with this review.

[slimsloslider]

obviously, the reporter did little to no research. mmj's fifth album? kathleen edwards debut? patrick on guitar?

[LaurieBlue]

Credibility is our business, and we strive for accurate and complete reports. :-)

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Ahh well..anyone interviewed for this one?

[dogandponyshow]

How people like that get to review a show makes no sense....like what was said by slimsloslider...patrick on guitar....oops.

D.