5 Questions for My Morning Jacket

Mark Brown, Rocky Mountain News

Published January 12, 2007 at midnight

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After four acclaimed studio albums, My Morning Jacket is back with Okonokos, a live album showcasing everything that's good about the Kentucky band. The sprawling two-disc set (and accompanying DVD) captures the group's power and ambition and the ubiquitous reverb-drenched sound that has become a trademark. Cherry-picking the best songs from albums Z, It Still Moves and more, Okonokos provides a perfect snapshot of a band ascending. Singer-songwriter Jim James of the band, which plays tonight and Saturday at the Ogden Theatre, recently answered some questions with pop music writer Mark Brown.

1. Why a live CD now after such a strong stretch of studio releases?

"It showcases everything good about the band - the best writing, the best performances. We always wanted to release a live record, even when we were infants, but things changed along the way, with members leaving the band, etc. We didn't feel 100 percent comfortable until Carl (Broemel, multi-instrumentalist) and Bo (Koster, keyboards) had been with us for a while and Z had been released. We really felt we were the best the band has ever been."

2. What are your favorite live albums?

"I like being able to feel like I'm there, in the moment - and also feel the energy. Sam Cooke's Live at the Harlem Square Club is one of my faves right now. God, you can feel the hysteria that man whipped up, the screaming and singing along, the raw power of the recording and the timelessness of the songs. Bob Dylan Live at the Royal Albert Hall is one of my faves as well. The first record being acoustic and very dark, and the second record where he went live with The Band is so raw and just blowing up the speakers."

3. Your songwriting is sweeping, almost cinematic at times.

"I don't really think about it all that much. I just feel lucky when I get a bunch of pieces that fall out of my head and they equal a song that I enjoy playing. I definitely get in different moods, feel I need different pieces to make different pictures happen in my brain. My writing desk is next to a window that overlooks someone's backyard, and they are always out there throwing Frisbees and squeaky toys to their yapping dogs. So maybe the music I write is a slow-motion soundtrack to people playing with their pets? Also, Louisville (Ky.) has lots of trees, which I think are essential to writing."

4. You're getting bigger and bigger, but the music industry is imploding. Does that worry you?

"There are so many parts to the 'industry' that I don't think any of it will ever die. People need and love music, no matter how silly record-industry battles get. We've just tried to keep making records we love and keep having fun on tour. That's one thing that record sales or music formats will never affect: the need for people to gather in groups and have a common experience, the need for live music."

5. Are you sick of reading the word 'reverb' in references to MMJ?

"No. I love reverb."

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