My Morning Jacket/Songs: Ohia

AMG Review of My Morning Jacket/Songs: Ohia

Stephen Cramer
All Music Guide

On a split release with Songs: Ohia, Louisville's My Morning Jacket put their best foot forward. With My Morning Jacket providing four of the disc's five songs, Jimi James' echoing and emotive voice takes control immediately, first on the steady and fiery "O Is the One That Is Real." They slow down the pace on "How Do You Know," with James' high-pitched croon again taking charge of the song's reins. The airy sound on "Come Closer" is followed by "The Year in Review," which consists entirely of the first three songs on fast-forward speed. Songs: Ohia's Jason Molina chimes in with the disc's last cut, "Translation," which clocks in at over ten minutes. Molina croons over a subdued arrangement. Will Oldham provides some distant, echoing backing vocals to the haunting and startling track. Both bands have a bluesy/folky feel to their sound. While this disc doesn't show either at their best, it does serve as an adequate introduction to each band. The disc was the third of Jade Tree Records' split-release series. It was released in early 2002.