Year in Rock 2011 Nominee: My Morning Jacket

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MY MORNING JACKET
First Light

From: Circuital
Released: May 31

Making their name as Bonnaroo-ready jam rockers with 2003's epic guitar odyssey It Still Moves, My Morning Jacket took a slight left turn by adding splotches of pop and branching out into other art forms with Z two years later.  Rather than balk at the idea of an expanding sound, the fans took it all in.  So, when Jim James started singing in falsetto and throwing the kitchen sink in on 2008's Evil Urges, people started giving My Morning Jacket dirty looks.  This writer praised Evil Urges for being as freaky as it wanted to be; mass perception be damned, Evil Urges is a hell of a fun album to listen to.  Nonetheless, the band was considered by many to be at a crossroads leading up to the release of their sixth album.  Would they get back to basics?  Would they get even weirder?  Would Jim James keep using that damned falsetto?

As Circuital reveals, the answer is yes to all three.  My Morning Jacket have given themselves a green light on this album (it's right there on the cover) to go... well, wherever the hell they want.  If it's the throwback southern fried jam that is the title track, they're going that way.  If it's the bizarro horn-and-falsetto soaked first single (!) Holdin On To Black Metal, hammer down.  If it's the lover's rock of The Day is Coming, sounds good.  If it's the full package anthem First Light, that's cool too.  It appears as though on Circuital, My Morning Jacket are laughing at anyone who dares to paint them into corners.  Instead of calling their situation a crossroads, maybe those folks should take a little day trip with Circuital and realize that in My Morning Jacket's world, there are no roads at all.

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