Customer Reviews

Okonokos

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

With this release, My Morning Jacket (or MMJ for you abbreviators out there) has confirmed what I had already suspected: they are a Great American Band on a par with any of the Rock Heroes or Important Bands from the days of old. Yes Page and Plant, I mean you! For the uninitiated, this band combines the rootsy Americana of Neil Young (the most obvious influence), the Allman Brothers (the second most obvious influence) and the Band with the hard-yet-edgy progessive rock of Rush and later Zeppelin, throwing in a heavy dose of indie atmospherics which can also be heard from such bands as the Flaming Lips and Wilco. Jim James's homespun lyrics mesh beautifully with the atmospheric yet rocking nature of the music, painting abstract pictures rather than telling actual stories. It is a testament to the band's unique sound that both indie and jam-rock scenesters lay claim to them, reviews gracing the websites of [...] alike. This is one of the few bands out there today which really brings together everything good about rock n roll, and reaffirms the music's vitality and importance in the new century.

Now, many people do not like live releases. I have never understood that bias, as I love hearing a band stretch out and interpret its studio work in unique ways. I understand though that many bands do not have the ability to actually pull it off. The knock I have heard on live albums is that they are either (a) too jam-centric and thus boring (perhaps even detracting from the enjoyment of the studio work), or (b) too close to the album's sound, so the buyer is basically purchasing the album material with one or two covers and some cheering in the backgound. Okonokos nicely avoids both pitfalls simultaneously. The newer material is imbued with a level of passion and intensity not heard on "Z," a great yet somewhat more mellow album. From the get-go there is a spark and charge that is not evident on all parts of the Z, quite frankly besting the versions that were committed to disc at that time. Even more interestingly, the older songs are re-interpreted and re-invigorated to mesh seamlessly with the new material. Yet the jams are kept to a relative minimum, lasting exactly as long as they need to and no more. Never throughout this album did I feel that the band needed to cut loose more so than they were doing, or that a particular song needed to end before it did. That is a testament to the band's tastefulness, restraint, and deep knowledge of its own material. Add to that Jim James's resonant, flawless voice and you have a performance for the ages.

For years I have been listening to the equally sublime "Acoustic Citsuoca" disc, which presents MMJ in alter-ego form as a stripped-down acoustic act. Listened to next to that live album, Okonokos becomes even more impressive for the range and versatility that this band is apparently capable of. From this disc and their concerts it is clear that MMJ knows how to rock. But they are also a band capable of providing moments of quiet introspection that are virtually unparalleled in the world of music today. This diversity of sound in one band, and their ability to pull it all off with meaning and conviction, rockets MMJ to the top of the top, the greatest of the great. I may be given to over-hyperbolizing and that is a fair criticism of me as a critic, but really I mean it and I hope you take the time to get to know this music. It is beyond rewarding and frankly beyond words.

MMJ's music has been with me through ups and downs, hard times and good times, for years and years. It is versatile, fun, meaningful, Important, and trustworthy all at once. Jim, you're a brother. Rock fans everywhere: TAKE HEED.

My Morning Jacket is an incredible band. I knew I could always count on them to release a solid psychedelic, southern rock record. But when "Z" came out in 2005, I was absolutely speechless; there was finally a band in the United States to compete with Radiohead, and incidentally, "Z" is probably the best album released since "Ok Computer." It took the band to a whole new level. They went from being solid to superstars; from doing obscure music magazine interviews to releasing a concert in indie theaters across the country.

The next logical step was to do what their southern rock forebarrers of the 70's did. Do a double live album. "Okonokos" is the album and not only does it compare with Little Feat's "Waiting for Columbus," Allman Brother's "Live at Fillmore East," and Cream's 2nd disc on "Wheels of Fire," it actually manages to best them all.

The sound may not be revolutionarily different from the mood of "Z," but that actually plays to My Morning Jacket's advantage; why change perfection? The album is a little more gritty and has a few warts, but songs like "At Dawn," "Golden," and "It Beats For You" find their definitive version in live format. Elsewhere, the off-key singing on "Off the Record" is a bit tough to take (especially since it's one of "Z's" strongest songs) but you can't be a revoutionary all the time. Another tiff is with the choice of set list. With 21 songs of space, the pallate was wide open with possibility, and we get almost half the album dedicated to a record MMJ fans haven't put down for a year. More music from "At Dawn," the many EP's and independant releases, and particularly the near-perfect "It Still Moves" would have been nice. To be honest, though, these are minor, picky problems in comparison to the joyous, reverb-soaked 2 hours of music fans are rewarded with. I can't wait for the next studio album.

Overall: 9 out of 10.

There are rare times in life when I have sat at the edge of my seat and waited for a record release as impatiently as I had for Okonokos. I love the Jacket. Everything they do is brilliant. So to get a live double disk that showcases everything they do is just the icing on this double chocolate cake.

Studio songs that have been ingrained in my head truly have a new life in the live format. Lowdown for instance, begins with a jam--unexpected, you just don't know what's coming up next, and then bam, "bye, bye, bye".

At Dawn was made to be sung in the Fillmore. This is the VERB song of all VERB songs.

Dondante the newest classic fades into the sweetest sax solo I've ever heard. What are these guys doing to me?

Run Thru is CockRock at it's finest.

But the highlight is Steam Engine. This is the quintessential MMJ song. When played live, it showcases everything behind this engine of a band.

Please tell you friends to go out and buy this album. It's gold.

My Morning Jacket has steadily been climbing the commercial and critical recongition in the last 6 years, with 2005's "Z" album ranking easily as one of the best albums of last year. MMJ has built its reputation as a tireless live act, and finally MMJ releases a live album, and what a joy it is.

"Okonokos" (2CDs, 21 tracks, 123 min.) brings the full force of what it's like to experience My Morning Jacket in concert. As can be expected, the live set is heavy on "Z" songs: 8 of its 10 tracks are on here, mostly on CD1, with such gems as "Off the Record", which takes the studio track to new highs in a live setting, and "It Beats 4 U", with its underlying heavy drums. CD2 will bring higher delights to long-time MMJ fans, with epic (10+ min.) pieces like "Dondante" and "Run Through", but also bringing older tracks like "At Dawn" and "Xmas Curtain". The set closes with "Dancefloors" and an exuberant "Magheetah", several tracks on here from the equally excellent 2003 album "It Still Moves".

If you haven't seen My Morning Jacket yet, do yourself a favor and go do so, you won't be disappointed. (MMJ is about to start a Fall tour in support of "Okonokos".) I have seen them a number of times live, but none was better than the now-legendary set they brought at this year's Bonnaroo Festival, starting at midnight and going full blast for 3 straight hours. I must admit that I left after about 2 1/2 hours, I was just spent! That said, "Okonokos" is by far the best live album released this year. Essential, period.

The absolute perfect medium for My Morning Jacket: THE LIVE ALBUM! I have been waiting for this for a couple of years now and it exceeds all my expectations. Yes, MMJ fans can be a little biased (they are, along with Wilco--although they have surpassed them, in my opinion--the best band on the planet at the moment!), any objective fan of good music will recognize the songwriting prowess and energy this album possesses. The version of Magheetah will leave you breathless. Guitars from outer space (yet organic as well), reverb drenched (yet perfectly clear) vocals from Mr. James, and a rythm section that's about as tight as any I have encountered, and absolutely NO FILLER. Perfect song selection. In the past, I have never been much of a fan of the live album, but betwen this one and Wilco's Kicking Television, I have been converted into a true believer. If you like radiohead, I am just preaching to the converted. If you are reading this review to figure whether or not to purchase this disc (s) at your local Tower, Best Buy or here at Amazon, run, don't walk. Plunk down your $14.99 NOW! While you're at it, pick up their newest (Z) and work your way backwards into their catalog. You won't regret it. Guaranteed. Unless you're a fan of Justin Timberlake, of course...

VERY GREAT LIVE BAND,THE LIVE VERSION OF THE SONGS IS VERY GOOD AND DIFFERENT FROM THE ALBUM VERSION,I HAVE SEE THE MMJ IN CONCERT IN ITALY LIKE A SUPPORTER OF A PEARL JAM SHOW AND I'M SURE IT'S A GREAT LIVE BAND AROUND NOW!!I HOPE THAT MMJ RETURN IN EUROPE FOR THE LIVE SHOW

This is a great live album for a great band that i love. Any My Morning Jacket fan will love this beautiful double live album. To be honest i was a little skeptical of a MMJ live album, mostly becuase their sound (reverb) is so hard to catch on a live recording. But somewhere in the world a genius pulled it off. Every song on this live album i love from the recorded versions, and live in person, and now on live recording. My only complaint is that i wish they would have had more songs from Tennessee Fire, but none the less this is a must buy for any fan who hasnt already pre-ordered it or expecting in the mail.

I rented this on Netflix, hearing that it was good. I gotta tell ya, this is great stuff. Grant it, I've had eight beers and God knows what else but thats what this music is about. Let yourself go and love it. Parts of this remind me of Sigur Ros almost, which is incredible in my book. Ethereal. Heavenly. Inspired. 5 stars.

The whole idea of a live album can be a bit tricky for all bands, especially for a great band like the Kentucky boys of My Morning Jacket. Let's face it - out of all the groundbreaking artists of the past 40 years who've cut a live one, about 90 percent of them seem to be sub-par. And no, the live downloaded Phish and .moe bootlegs that you listened to in your college dorm while sucking on a glass Jerome Baker piece don't count. Sure, the concerts at which they were recorded must've been enjoyable for the fans, but it can be very taxing when attempting to capture the essence of what it's like being there as a concertgoer in that exact moment. A double-disc album, Okonokos was recorded last November during a two-night stint at The Fillmore in San Francisco, while touring in support of their latest release Z, which was on many critics' year-end top ten lists. Okonokos exhibits the majestic semblance of MMJ's live shows and proves that they are not a jam band but instead a band that just knows how to jam.

Disc one's opening salvo, the bubbly "Wordless Chorus," warms up the album with front man Jim James' falsetto-laden "ahhhs" and "whooos," then segues into the creaking "It Beats 4 U." The first two tracks sort of taxi the runway for the disc, but it is with the epic "Gideon" that it truly takes off and sounds like James is singing all alone at the peak of a mountain in a deserted land, trying to establish contact when he hits that high note. Any listener who has had the privilege of witnessing a live MMJ show knows that "One Big Holiday" is among their most empowering live numbers and tells the seasoned music aficionado that My Morning Jacket was made for the era of vinyl, when the dual onslaught of guitars from James and guitarist Carl Broemel hits the listener's ears.

Also on the set list is the early Elton John-ish "What a Wonderful Man" with a tad of a baroque tone and "Off the Record," which begins with some rock-steady dub funk before gliding into some ambient martini lounge space pop. Drummer Patrick Hallahan makes his presence felt when "Lay Low" comes around with his thudding and reverberating bass drum tremors before the extended electric guitar overdrive is throttled.

Whereas the first disc showcases MMJ's raw energy, disc 2 exhibits their more somber and bittersweet side. The first two openers are among the band's chilliest and moodiest songs in their catalogue. Its maiden ditty is the eleven-minute crescendo "Dondante" with James' elastic bellowing and a rather mournful saxophone infusion provided by Broemel as Bo Koester's keyboard licks just outright fizz on "Run Thru." It is with this disc's tracks that most of the fans probably had their lighters in the air and became utterly mesmerized. A My Morning Jacket show wouldn't be the same without a hypnotic barn-burner, and they provide one no less than stellar with the upbeat, down-home Kentucky feel of "Dancefloors."

One of the many aspects that can render a live album a turkey is the sonic augmentation given to it post-concert. However, it seems as if mixer Michael Brauer (Paul McCartney, Coldplay) and the album's mastering by veteran Bob Ludwig (Tool, Nirvana) have done with Okonokos what Tom Down did in 1971 for the Allman Brothers on At Fillmore East and what his counterpart Bob Johnston did in 1968 for Johnny Cash's At Folsom Prison. He's captured the entire essence of the band's live synergy and the dexterity among the crowd regarding how they connect with the music. With Okonokos My Morning Jacket has established the precise middle-ground that exists between studio album and live album, which always rings true no matter what format you hear them. - Chris Pacifico

www.JamBase.com | Go See Live Music!

This is very well recorded. Good selection of material. Sounds good in dts 5.1.