Notes

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On its second album for Darla Records, My Morning Jacket is perfect. That is to say, they haven't changed a bit, and we like them that way. At Dawn is full of the same strumming acoustic guitar, hauntingly treated vocals, country, blues, and everything else that made The Tennessee Fire a magnificent country, rock, and Americana stew. When Jim James (singer and group leader) sings, "We start this time with open ears," you know you're heading into familiar territory. Open ears were what you needed the first time you took this trip with James and the rest of My Morning Jacket. Open ears led you through the stark and beautiful landscape of The Tennessee Fire, and now they take you on a very similar trip. A little bit of sunshine in "Lowdown," "The Way He Sings," and "Just Because I Do," and a little bit of rain in "If It Smashes Down" and "I Needed It Most." At Dawn finds a very young band hitting their stride. Echoes of Galaxie 500, For Stars, and classic Americana (Neil Young, the Band, Dylan, the Velvet Underground, etc.) find their way into this record to varying degrees, but they seem to float along lending help and comfort, rather than showing themselves directly. Like Belle & Sebastian, My Morning Jacket's songs have remained essentially the same — just the way we like them.