Dallas Reviews

[LaurieBlue]

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/ent/stories/DN-morningjacket_1118gl.ART.State.Edition1.3e8cc5b.html

Morning Jacket finds the right fit

ROCK REVIEW: Band's two new members keep its sonic sound alive

12:00 AM CST on Saturday, November 18, 2006

By MATT WEITZ / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News

The big question for fans of My Morning Jacket, the quintessentially American rock band from Louisville, Ky., was how the departure of two longtime members would change the group's unique sound.

Happily, the departures of founding guitarist Johnny Quaid and keyboard player Danny Cash, who basically tired of life on the road, made nary a bump in the progress of this unique ensemble. As was clear Thursday night at the Gypsy Tea Room (the first of a two-night engagement), new members Bo Koster (keyboards) and Carl Broemel (guitar) fit right into the group's densely textured sound.

Approximately 600 fans gathered for a show that drew heavily from Z, the group's most recent (2005) studio effort, as well as Okonos, the live concert album-DVD released this year.

The first five songs – "It Beats for U," "Wordless Chorus," "Gideon," "Off the Record" and "What a Wonderful Man" – were from Z and were perfect examples of MMJ's sonic signature. The strong voice of singer Jim James and a reverb-heavy guitar din were reminiscent of bands such as Galaxie 500.

After the quintet of Z songs, MMJ started hopping through their catalog, delivering potent versions of tunes such as "Golden" (from 2003's It Still Moves), the title track from 2001's At Dawn and "Nashville to Kentucky" (from their name-making debut, 1999's The Nashville Fire).

The band trotted out an impressive number of classic rock guitars in the service of their unabashedly electric wall of sound, from Gibson Flying Vs to 12-string Fender electrics.

Mr. James' singing is expressive, imbuing songs that are often little more than impressionistic snapshots ("Mahgeetah," "Xmas Curtain") with a sense of narrative momentum. This found what was perhaps its best expression with encore versions of "I Think I'm Going to Hell" and "I Will Sing You Songs," quiet, contemplative numbers that were lent a moody, sunset feeling by Mr. Broemel's accompaniment on pedal steel.

Then, with "Run Thru," it was back to the rockers, slamming the lid down on an evening that was as triumphant as it was reassuring.

E-mail mweitz@dallasnews.com.

[JohnnyRage]

He's reviewing Thurs night, but left out The Way He Sings as the second song.

Friday blew Thurs out of the water.

[tinyorangepig]

And its an old angle that a few band members have changed.  Very old.

[Ive got an EVIL plan babe]

and "Nashville to Kentucky" (from their name-making debut, 1999's The Nashville Fire)

WTF