Wikipedia

My Morning Jacket

For the band’s 2021 self-titled album, seeMy Morning Jacket (album).

My Morning Jacketis an Americanrockband formed inLouisville, Kentucky,in 1998. The band consists of vocalist/guitaristJim James,bassist Tom Blankenship, drummer Patrick Hallahan, guitaristCarl Broemel,and keyboardistBo 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.

My Morning Jacket
The band onstage
Performing atNewport Folk Festivalin 2015
Background information
OriginLouisville, Kentucky,U.S.
Genres
Years active1998–present
Labels
Members
Past members
  • Johnny Quaid
  • Danny Cash
  • J. Glenn
  • Chris Guetig
Websitemymorningjacket

The group first found success in Europe after the release of its debut album,The Tennessee Fire(1999). Its next release,At Dawn(2001), led to a large stateside following and preceded several lineup changes. After signing to major labelATO Records,the group released two albums,It Still Moves(2003) andZ(2005), with the latter representing a critical breakthrough. The group's next release,Evil Urges(2008), was more polarizing for fans and critics, whileCircuital(2011), its sixth album, saw a more measured response. The band's seventh album,The Waterfall,was released in 2015, followed byThe Waterfall IIin 2020 andMy Morning Jacketin 2021.

History

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Formation and debut releases (1998–2000)

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My Morning Jacket was formed in Louisville, Kentucky in 1998 by singer-songwriterJim 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 ofShelbyville-basedemo-punkband Winter Death Club.[citation needed]The band's name stems from James, who once found a discarded 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 theNetherlandsandBelgium.Soon, the group launched a European tour, where it received high marks from Dutch and Belgian press; the group 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)

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The band's second effort,At Dawn(2001), helped grow the group's fanbase in its 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 asGuided by Voices,Doves,andFoo Fighters.[4]The group signed to independent labelATO Recordsin 2002 ahead of its 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 the group's breakthrough album.[3]It received positive critical reviews; in his review forRolling Stone,criticDavid Frickewrote, "America is a lot closer to getting its ownRadiohead,and it isn'tWilco".[6]The album was noticeable for a break from James' heavilyreverbedvocals, and featured experimentation with dub,reggaeandpsychedelic rock.[5]Okonokos,a live album captured while the band touredZ,was released in 2006.

The band's four-hour late-night set in the rain atBonnaroo 2008has been regarded among their best performances.[7][8]

Shift in sound (2008–2013)

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The band's next release,Evil Urges,marked a considerable shift in their sound, and 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.[8]To promote the album, the band appeared onSaturday Night Live.The band toured in support of the record that summer, which included a storied appearance atBonnaroo Music FestivalinManchester, 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 fromEvil Urgesand numerous covers, and featured a guest appearance fromKirk HammettofMetallica.The set has commonly been regarded among the band's personal best and one of the best in the history of the festival.Rolling Stonecalled it "career-defining."[8]Evil Urgeswas nominated for aGrammyfor BestAlternative RockAlbum. My Morning Jacket performed before a sold-out crowd atMadison Square Gardenin New York.

The band members appeared as themselves in theAmerican Dad!episode, "My Morning Straitjacket",which aired on November 22, 2009. The episode is based on American Dad! co-creatorMike Barker's "life-changing experience" at the band's 2008 Bonnaroo performance.[9]

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 its five studio releases each night along with additional material from the relevant period.[10]According to the September 16, 2010 issue ofRolling Stone,My Morning Jacket started working on its next LP. "We've got five songs done," says front man Jim James. "It'll probably be out next spring." James co-produced the record withThe DecemberistscollaboratorTucker Martinein an old church in My Morning Jacket's hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. "We're trying to do everything but the strings live," said James. "There's something old and dirty-sounding about it." The band's sixth albumCircuitalwas released on May 31, 2011. The band toured for two years in support ofCircuital.In 2013, it embarked on a tour alongsideWilcoandBob Dylanthat left band members disappointed, as they had falsely been told Dylan desired to work with them.[11]

Recent events (2014–present)

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While the band took a break, James stayed busy, touring behind his solo album,Regions of Light and Sound of God,and collaborating withElvis CostelloandMarcus Mumfordforthe New Basement Tapesproject. These individual side projects, rather than detach the musicians, worked to strengthen band members' skill as musicians, according to Blankenship. This led to a greater appreciation of the group upon their return to it.[12]The band's next album,The Waterfall,was mainly recorded at a hilltop mansion aboveStinson BeachinMarin County, California.[13]The band felt the surroundings were "slightly supernatural,"[14]which produced a largely idyllic recording process.[11]The Waterfallwas released in May 2015, debuting number 11 on theBillboard200in the U.S., with 33,000 copies sold in its first week.[15]In December 2015,The Waterfallwas nominated for theGrammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album.[16]

The sessions forThe Waterfallwere fruitful, producing over 24 completed songs, enough to fill two albums.[13]MMJ took most of 2018 and the early part of 2019 off from touring, but regrouped for select shows in August 2019. James described the shows as among his favorite recent MMJ performances and says the group worked through some of their personal issues in advance of the shows.[17]The members of My Morning Jacket admitted that they were not sure if they were ever going to reunite for a period of time during their extended break.[18]

The Waterfall IIwas released on July 10, 2020.[19]The band contributed a cover of the Metallica song "Nothing Else Matters"to the charity tribute albumThe Metallica Blacklist,released in September 2021.[20]The band's ninth studio album, the self-titledMy Morning Jacket,was released on October 22, 2021.[21]Its first single, "Regularly Scheduled Programming", debuted on August 24 along with an accompanying music video.[21]On November 24, 2023, they released their firstChristmasLPHappy Holiday!.[22][23]

In March 2024, the band announced that they would do an East Coast tour withNathaniel Rateliffthat fall.[24]While on tour, the band released a single titled "Aren’t We One?" which they performed live on tour and would be part of an upcoming album.[25][26]

Band members

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Current

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

Former

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

Timeline

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Discography

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Main article:My Morning Jacket discography

Studio albums

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References

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  1. ^Perry, Johnathan.My Morning Jacket Turns up the Heat.The Boston Globe.December 4, 2006.
  2. ^William Bowers (August 1, 2002)."Interviews: My Morning Jacket".Pitchfork.RetrievedOctober 21,2015.
  3. ^abRyan Reed (May 5, 2015)."My Morning Jacket: Renewal from The Waterfall".Paste.RetrievedOctober 21,2015.
  4. ^abcdAndrew Leahey."My Morning Jacket: Biography".Allmusic.RetrievedOctober 21,2015.
  5. ^ab"My Morning Jacket: Biography".Rolling Stone.RetrievedOctober 21,2015.
  6. ^Fricke, David (October 20, 2005)."Z".Rolling Stone.RetrievedMarch 2,2019.
  7. ^Jason Lipshutz (June 11, 2014)."Bonnaroo: 10 Most Legendary Moments".Billboard.RetrievedOctober 21,2015.
  8. ^abcAustin Scaggs (July 10, 2008)."My Morning Jacket: Cosmic Travelers".Rolling Stone.No. 1056.RetrievedOctober 21,2015.
  9. ^Fortune, Drew (August 17, 2012)."The Magic of My Morning Jacket's Jim James".Interview Magazine.
  10. ^Greenblatt, Jeffrey"MMJ To Play 5 Nights At Terminal 5"Hidden Track (Glide Magazine)– June 9, 2010
  11. ^abPatrick Doyle (April 23, 2015)."Remaking My Morning Jacket: Behind Dark New 'The Waterfall'".Rolling Stone.RetrievedJune 10,2015.
  12. ^Neil Ferguson (April 28, 2015)."My Morning Jacket's Tom Blakenship TalksThe Waterfall(Interview) ".Glide.RetrievedJune 10,2015.
  13. ^abJason Newman (December 3, 2014)."Jim James on My Morning Jacket's Two New Albums: 'I Had Tons of Songs'".Rolling Stone.RetrievedJune 10,2015.
  14. ^Mike Ayers (May 4, 2015)."Jim James on Finding the Heart of My Morning Jacket's New Album 'The Waterfall'".The Wall Street Journal.RetrievedJune 10,2015.
  15. ^Emily White (May 15, 2015)."Muse Leads Alternative Songs, Breaking Benjamin Returns".Billboard.RetrievedJune 11,2015.
  16. ^"58th Annual GRAMMY Awards Nominees".The GRAMMYs.RetrievedFebruary 8,2016.
  17. ^"Jim James: Here in Spirit".Relix.November 4, 2019.RetrievedOctober 23,2021.
  18. ^"My Morning Jacket: And Now Back to Our Regularly Scheduled Programming..."Relix.October 22, 2021.RetrievedNovember 26,2023.
  19. ^"My Morning Jacket: The Waterfall II".Pitchfork.RetrievedOctober 23,2021.
  20. ^He, Richard S. (September 10, 2021)."Every Metallica Blacklist cover ranked from worst to best".loudersound.RetrievedOctober 24,2021.
  21. ^abChesler, Josh (August 24, 2021)."My Morning Jacket Announce New Self-Titled Album, Release 'Regularly Scheduled Programming'".Spin.RetrievedOctober 7,2021.
  22. ^Kahn, Andy (October 18, 2023)."One Big 'Happy Holiday!': My Morning Jacket Shares 'Feelin Sorry' Single Off New Holiday Album".Jam Base.RetrievedNovember 1,2023.
  23. ^Douris, Raina; Junod, Kimberly (December 25, 2023)."All I want for Christmas is My Morning Jacket's holiday album".NPR.RetrievedNovember 30,2024.
  24. ^White, Logan (March 25, 2024)."My Morning Jacket, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats announce co-headlining tour".Substream Magazine.RetrievedNovember 30,2024.
  25. ^Stoddard, Cait (September 17, 202)."My Morning Jacket Shares Anthemic New Single" Aren't We One? "".mxdwn.RetrievedNovember 30,2024.
  26. ^Polk, Jeff (November 11, 2024)."My Morning Jacket's Patrick Hallahan Talks New Album, Sobriety, And Possible Future MMJ Music Festival In Louisville".LEO Weekly.RetrievedNovember 30,2024.
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