The Tennessee Fire
My Morning Jacket is a four-piece band from Louisville, KY, led by singer/songwriter Jim James. The songs on Tennessee Fire (Darla 1999) evoke warm (and somewhat lonely) memories of a gothic country night. Electric and acoustic guitars, harmonica, lap-steel, drums and bass all join his unique (Neil Young meets Wayne Coyne) voice in a huge pool of reverb. At first you wonder if the sound will overtake the songs, but after the first chorus you realize that the beauty of these simple and emotive songs is only enhanced by the addition of this effect, and by the end of the first song, you can't even tell that it's there. Released to (world) wide critical acclaim, Tennessee Fire provides proof (200 proof) that heartfelt American music is alive and well, and living in KY. A must for anyone who loves the sound of alt-country mixed with wide-open spaces.