Considering that its later albums contributed some of the finest
country-rock in the early '00s, it seems out of character for
My Morning Jacket to be covering a
new wave ballad such as
Berlin's
"Take My Breath Away." With
Jim James' pretty vocals, however, anything is possible, and he turns a lovely song into a beautiful one. So is the case with much of
Early Recordings, Chapter 2: Learning. The band's collection of early work is mainly
My Morning Jacket in name only, as
James played most of the instruments and, other than the covers (there's also a version of the
Pet Shop Boy's
"West End Girls" and
Hank Williams'
"Why Don't You Love Me?"), takes full credit for songwriting. Much of this is
lo-fi, allowing a more intimate feel to
James' performances, some of which are live. Whether that includes the captivating
"Just One Thing" or
"I Will Be There When You Die," he hints at what was to come on
At Dawn and
It Still Moves. ~ Kenyon Hopkin