My Morning Jacket

The initial line-up for the 2010 Voodoo Experience has been released and has already been improved by a major addition: My Morning Jacket. This festival has never let us down, and 2010 looks to be no different. Headlining the three-day event are the suddenly ubiquitous festival act Muse, legendary Black Sabbath founder Ozzy Osbourne, the aforementioned My Morning Jacket, nostalgia act (at least among my peers) Weezer and the bipolar dance/psychedelic band MGMT. Other acts scheduled to play include Metric, Hot Chip, Tom Morello and Boots Riley’s Street Sweeper Social Club, NOLA's own Galactic (and Friends!), and Jakob Dylan and Three Legs. It’s a little insane that this will be BoT's fifth year attending the festival, but it truly is the best time to be in New Orleans and we wouldn't miss it for anything.

You can check out the full line-up after the jump

My Morning Jacket are releasing a live EP tomorrow (January 13th) dubbed Live From Las Vegas Exclusively at the Palms, or, as the official website states, Candles and Panties '08. Featuring a nice collection of songs from several of their past albums and EP's (and one new one!), this six-song release looks to highlight MMJ's "sensual" side. It's their first live release since 2006's Okonokos, and if it's as quality as that recording, we're in for some great tuneage for our Tuesday morning commute!

Check out the track list after the jump

Going into New Year's Eve, there was probably no other show as highly anticipated as My Morning Jacket's first trip to New York City's Madison Square Garden. To play at this famed venue is a clear sign that a band is taking that next step in the music industry. If you can sell out the Garden, you've made it – and MMJ did just that. Jim James and the boys brought in white tuxedos, capes, balloons, and a couple of their favorite friends and cover songs over the course of their multi-hour, two-set show. Especially pleasing was Nicole Atkins' second set guest appearance on Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton's "Islands In The Stream," which is featured in this YouTube clip below.

Check out the rest of the setlist, stream the entire show and watch some videos after the jump

We experienced the 2008 edition of Bonnaroo through iClips and text messages instead of actually attending – not quite the same, we agree. But perhaps now we can more closely approximate the wook foot extravaganza: several of our favorite acts have been documented on a new 'Roo DVD. Though the film was originally intended only for festival ticket purchasers, a limited number is now available to the general public for the low price of $16.95. Featured on the DVD are tracks from Pearl Jam, Metallica, The Raconteurs, Broken Social Scene, The Avett Brothers and My Morning Jacket among many others.

Check out a sneak peek of Live from Bonnaroo 2008 as well as the DVD's track listing after the jump

My Morning Jacket's August 24th performance at Stubb's was undoubtedly one of the most anticipated shows of the summer for Eggs and myself. It's no secret that we're huge fans of MMJ; every time we see them live our appreciation deepens. Sunday in Austin, our expectations were met and the bar was raised a little more: armed with pirouettes, a cape, and a pancho-clad bear, the band delivered a consistently high-energy set that left the crowd happily dripping sweat in the Texas heat. They seem to leave it all on the stage every time they play, a quality that has deservedly boosted them to the top of our shortlist of the best live acts in existence.

MMJ recap, setlist, photos, and videos after the jump

Talk about beginner's luck. A friend of mine saw My Morning Jacket for the first time last night in Dallas (well, she caught a few songs from their epic set at this year's Bonnaroo, but left when it started raining, so I don't really count that) and was treated to something special, indeed: Erykah Badu joined the band onstage to perform her song "Tyrone."

More MMJ/Badu details and a full video of the occasion after the jump

A while back, as you might remember, we posted eight videos from My Morning Jacket's stop at the Verizon Wireless Theater here in Houston. Those eight videos, which were the first documentation of any of MMJ's new material, found their way all over the web including different posts on Stereogum and Live Music Blog. We were very excited about the chance to let other people see what we Houstonians were lucky enough to experience that night, and knew just by hearing those tunes that their new album, Evil Urges, would be one of the best of the year. We were right. June 10th found MMJ's album released to rave reviews, and also found them with a huge late night slot at this year's Bonnaroo that gave them the opportunity to share their new songs with a much wider audience. Now, after the true fans have fallen in love with the album, MMJ has started their major publicity blitz which includes a full tour and a brand new video for "Touch Me I'm Going To Scream Pt. II." Take the time to watch their Where The Wild Things Are-inspired video.

Good, huh? Now go check them out on the road! See their full list of dates after the jump.

Over 90 musicians and music industry personages have banded together to draw the presidential candidates' attention to New Orleans and the Louisiana coast. My Morning Jacket, R.E.M., Pearl Jam, and Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor are among those who signed a letter calling upon Barack Obama and John McCain to attend a September 18 debate in NOLA. The letter, which was developed by the Gulf Coast Restoration Network and Tab Benoit's Voice of the Wetlands organization, asks that "the future President of the United States direct the resources and attention necessary to restore coastal Louisiana and secure the future of Louisiana's communities." Rapid loss of coastal wetlands and unhealthy water are mentioned as primary causes for concern. Neither candidate has yet committed to the event, which will be sponsored by Google/YouTube and New Orleans universities.

Read the press release after the jump

Is it too early to make New Year's Eve plans? I already know that this is where I want to be:

I simply can't think of a better way to ring in 2009.

MMJ's newest studio effort, Evil Urges, was released on June 10th. I've been playing it incessantly - yes, that's including "Highly Suspicious", despite all the thumbs-down comments we keep getting on our video of the song from their Houston show in March. It's an unexpected piece of brilliance featuring more than a few nods to TAFKAP. A little goofy, sure, but how could you possibly not grin at lyrics like "peanut butter pudding surprise/Pulitzer prize"?

Update: Want to know what MMJ played during their late-night set at Bonnaroo this year? Check out the setlist after the jump - but be warned...I almost became physically ill when I saw it. Can't believe I missed such a stellar set!

My Morning Jacket debuted two songs off of their new album Evil Urges to a national audience when they took the stage on Saturday Night Live this last weekend. They tore through versions of "I'm Amazed" and "Evil Urges" during the hour-and-a-half sketch comedy program. I know most of you were glued to the TV at 11:30 on a Saturday night, and not off doing something social, but for those of you were out on the town here is a chance to see what you missed.

This album is going to be outstanding!

Check out the video for "Evil Urges" from SNL after the jump