My Morning Jacket - It Still Moves

Over the past few years, the South has developed a bad rap - hell, it's probably never had a good reputation. The misconception that most Southerners are narrow-minded, hillbilly, NASCAR-lovin' rednecks is standard, gross exaggeration. It is true that most Southerners walk and talk a bit slower, but we aren't that different from the rest of the country. Aside from the fact they reside in Louisville, KY (not exactly "the South"), it's been just as easy to misrepresent My Morning Jacket. Most reviews that have lumped them into some hyphenated label (alt-country, acid-folk, etc.) have usually missed the mark. There are no gimmicks or one-liners that sum up My Morning Jacket. If a range of musical influences is needed instead, each song on It Still Moves carries its own set of idiosyncrasies. So, it's hard to pin that down as well. "Mahgeetah" opens drenched in the band's trademark reverb, which founder, lead vocalist and guitarist Jim James has stated was probably influenced by Roy Orbison. As well, for a so-called "Kentucky-fried" band, the beach music tints to the standard rock n' roll fare are a pleasantly unusual mix. "Dancefloors", complete with a funky, horn breakdown, carries itself like any good rhythm & blues tune should. "One Big Holiday" sets off on a Barry White hi-hat canter before dropping into an intro sequence that can't help but sound like a middle-America "Welcome To The Jungle". It's syncopated verses contrast and heighten James' soulful vocals throughout. The rest of It Still Moves runs the gamut of flat-picking country on "Easy Morning Rebel", the desperate blues of "Run Thru", and the rolling folk of "Golden". Yet, the unifying tie is the reverb; the "supernatural" reverb that James' claims, "makes everything right, like a recording you stick your head in and swim around in." I don't want to overcomplicate My Morning Jacket. James simply started the band with friends as a reaction against the stagnant, mostly-hardcore scene in Louisville, KY around 1998. Since forming, the band has released two self-produced albums, three EPs, and toured Europe without the support of a major-label budget. My Morning Jacket have essentially reached this point on their own. In that respect, It Still Moves just makes sense, because it's evident that the band loves rock n'roll. [www.mymorningjacket.com]