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July 19, 2005

My Morning Jacket News

Stereogum's favorite Kentucky rockers release the thoroughly awesome Z 10/4, ten days before Cameron Crowe's Elizabethtown hits theaters. In the movie (starring Orlando Bloom and Kiki Dunst) MMJ play a local band who sets off the sprinklers when a stage prop catches fire during "Freebird."

I was excited about it until I watched the trailer. Zzzzz.

Z, however, is no snoozefest. It might just be the best My Morning Jacket album yet. Check out the spacerock jam "Off The Record," the first tune the band played at last month's Bonnaroo (before the giraffe joined them). See if you can decode the satanic mumblings at the end!

My Morning Jacket - "Off The Record" (MP3 Link Expired)

Posted at 4:53 PM
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29 Comments

Fix it please! I wanna hear MMJ, they of the big giraffe.

Posted by: Belle at 07/19/05 4:54 PM | Reply
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FIXED!

Posted by: stereogum at 07/19/05 4:58 PM | Reply
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While Off The Record is off the hook, and there are 3 or 4 other killer songs, i gotta be honest and say that other than TN Fire, it's my least fave MMJ record at this point. I doubted they'd ever top the majestic beauty that is At Dawn, so that's no surprise, nor a dissapointment.

It's growing on me a bit more, but i still can't help but feel a bit dissapointed in it overall. It IS a good record, don't get me wrong. I'm def a MMJ fanboy too, seen em 6-7 times, but i was hoping for a bit more i guess. I'm sure the songs i'm not diggin' will grow on me some, but i def wasn't totally blown away by anything but Off The Record. Anytime is my 2nd fave track.

Posted by: solace at 07/19/05 5:43 PM | Reply
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I actually prefer this record over their previous efforts. Definitely an interesting direction for them.

Posted by: N at 07/19/05 5:49 PM | Reply
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while i dig the funkier vibe of a lot of the tracks, i kinda miss the gorgeous acoustic stuff from At Dawn and some of It Still Moves. plus other than maybe What A Wonderful Man, it doesn't quite have an all out rocker ala One Big Holiday.

as i said, i definitely do like it, in fact way more than my other friends who also love MMJ, they're all kinda dissapointed with it.

i just definitely would not say it's even close to their best yet. i can see myself liking it more than It Still Moves in time though.

Posted by: solace at 07/19/05 5:58 PM | Reply
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oh yeah, and if they release a radio edit of Off The Record sans the space jam, it could be huge imo.

Posted by: solace at 07/19/05 5:59 PM | Reply
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also, if you click on "Internet First Look" on that page, that clip has a ton of MMJ footage from the movie.

Posted by: solace at 07/19/05 6:16 PM | Reply
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I suppose you're right it doesn't top It Still Moves, but I do love it. It's more fun.

Posted by: stereogum at 07/19/05 6:18 PM | Reply
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although i haven't heard the new album yet, i was blown away by the new stuff at bonnaroo. mmj are super amazing, yet they seem to not get as much love as they should. too jammy for hipsters and too rocky for hippies i guess. maybe the new stuff will help them break through a la modest mouse. although i kinda hope it doesn't.

even i underate them. when i'm talking with folks about my favorite bands, i always forget them. but they're def in my top 5.

they've stolen the show at the last 2 bonnaroos that's for sure.

Posted by: pete at 07/19/05 6:21 PM | Reply
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yeah, i'm with ya.

live they're one of the best bands around the last few years imo.

i don't see this album appealing TOO much to the true hippies, but it will def help w/ some of their crossover. they've been slowly getting more and more attention from that crowd anyway.

you're dead on about the hipster thing though, most indie kids would def steer clear of MMJ.

Posted by: solace at 07/19/05 6:22 PM | Reply
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"even i underate them. when i'm talking with folks about my favorite bands, i always forget them."

You know, that's true for me as well.

Posted by: N at 07/19/05 6:25 PM | Reply
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as much as i loved It Still Moves when it first came out, when it came to re-visiting end of the year '03, i realized i didn't love it as much as i'd initially thought. still a great record though.

At Dawn was my first intro to them, and there's 3 tracks on there that are easily in my top 5 fave MMJ songs, so i'll prolly always have a soft spot for it.

i do enjoy that they've started rockin' out more though.

how amazing is Jim's voice on this record? the reverb is dialed down a bit, which i'm sure people will dig (it's a common complaint), but he sounds so amazing on the first cut.

Posted by: solace at 07/19/05 6:25 PM | Reply
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I find it weird that there's a movie in which Orlando Bloom doesn't have an accent.

Posted by: Calliwell at 07/19/05 6:45 PM | Reply
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Oh snore, this movie looks so very boring.

Posted by: Alex at 07/19/05 11:28 PM | Reply
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Finally, an non-epic with Orlando Bloom. About damn time. I guess. If only I cared...

Posted by: Tannis at 07/20/05 12:25 AM | Reply
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track 3 on that new mmj is pretty much excellent.

Posted by: mike at 07/20/05 1:37 AM | Reply
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really like the mmj. curious about new record

Posted by: Satisfied '75 at 07/20/05 3:04 AM | Reply
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I'm liking the kinda reggae/funk vibe on this track. Not what I'd expect from the Jacket. Also good to see that Jim isn't hiding behind the reverb.

Posted by: thekatmandude at 07/20/05 3:09 AM | Reply
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I listened to the record over the weekend and found it to be kind of electronic, but still retained that haunted, lovely MMJness. Very fine.

Posted by: carla at 07/20/05 10:24 AM | Reply
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where is everybody hearing the "album" at? i saw them live about 2 months ago, so i'm familiar with some of the new songs, but if there are any studio cut mp3's out there i'd be eager to check them out.

Posted by: ryan at 07/20/05 10:45 AM | Reply
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Admittedly, the trailer is v. boring. Instead, you should check out the Internet First Look of Elizabethtown, which features Elton John's "My Father's Gun," as well as the MMJ footage referenced above.


http://www.elizabethtown.com/firstLook.html

Posted by: The Pop View at 07/20/05 12:01 PM | Reply
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Ryan, I think it's just on Slsk and probably whatever torrent sites. My first impression when I listened to Off the Record was that it sounds a lot poppier than their other stuff- like it's intentionally simpler. Still, it's fantastic. I'm holding my breath though for those At Dawn and TN Fire demos that Darla's putting out...

Posted by: Kevin at 07/20/05 12:08 PM | Reply
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thanks for the song. i'm looking forward to Z, i think i'll skip the flick though.

Posted by: jest at 07/20/05 1:38 PM | Reply
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"gideon" is incredible and i like the album, but i can't say it's better than any of the first three albums. this is an interesting direction though. kinda like "cobra" on the EP. i will just see elizabethtown for the local shots (an ear-x-tacy sticker!) and MMJ!

Posted by: timothy at 07/20/05 6:51 PM | Reply
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Wow, second half is fuckin ace

Posted by: Robert Zuehlke at 07/20/05 11:47 PM | Reply
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dear God, that's a good song.

Posted by: jpc at 07/21/05 1:36 AM | Reply
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the opening track is currently rocking my brain. the rest of the album is certainly good.

kentucky strikes again.

Posted by: chris at 07/22/05 4:27 PM | Reply
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While I must agree, that Z isn't as good as At Dawn or It Still Moves, I'd still say Z is a great album. It brings something a little new to the table of MMJ, something a little more fun and poppy, yes, but still something great, nonetheless. I won't lie; I'm missing the badass jams of something like, say, One Big Holiday, and I'm missing some of the trippier (It's kind of hard to describe a MMJ song as "trippy," but this one has to be) sounds of something similar to Tonight I Want 2 Celebrate W/You. If they keep putting out songs like Wordless Chorus, Off the Record, or Anytime, though, I will never be dissapointed. Nice, cool MMJ album...go buy it. Have to mention that their performances at Bonnaroo are so amazing that it's worth going just to see them rock out for the masses there, too. Peace :)

Posted by: CDO17 at 09/30/05 8:13 PM | Reply
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This album has an awesome collarboration of musical styles. It goes from covering punk song Off the Record to an underlining hip hop beat of Lay Low. Wordless Chorus really reflects the strength of Jim James's voice.This is definitely one of my favs in my record collection.

Posted by: Tina at 08/16/06 12:40 PM | Reply
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