Z

Lifted

alright so i got into my morning jacket a little before hearing them open up for pearl jam on the u.s. tour this year.....anyway i'm glad i did. they are by far my favorite band other than pearl jam at the moment. anyway i own the okonokos (great cd) and it still moves and z. i don't know what everyone else thinks about those two albums but i think they are both classics. i liked it still moves better at first and now i'm starting to lean more towards z. it truly is a masterpiece. i didn't get it at first but after a few repeated listens, wow...this album really blows me away. anyway the point of this is i can't find tennessee fire or at dawn anywhere so i'm gonna have to order them....i'm curious to hear from people that have heard the albums how they stack up to it still moves and z, and why it seems like no store really carries these albums, at least where i live. also curious if they each sound completely different than the other two because the two that i have are both great and sound completely unique from each other.

Dick Jones

the Tennessee Fire is my favorite.

They are all pretty good albums in my opinion.

cc10106

Glad to hear about your aural discoveries of the one and only 'Jacket'. As soon as I heard they were the opener for PJ's tour last summer, I knew many would become interested. If you want to call Z a masterpiece, then I'd most certainly give It Still Moves the same kind of love. I have a soft spot for it since it was the first MMJ record I went to the store and bought. Lots of long drives were spent listening to it. I had maybe 10 of their older songs and was convinced they were worth the very little bit of $ I had back in college.

As for their first 2 records, both are essential, but will take some more time to digest and settle than Z would. Z was much more streamlined, poppier affair than the other 3, thus making it more accessible and catchier quicker. It was also the first time they brought in a (co)-producer (John Leckie no less) to help things out. Knowing they did those first 3 records basically all by themselves (no hired producer), in good small company, in the middle of the Kentucky country, well my respect for 'em is nothing short of huge.

Since At Dawn and The Tennessee Fire were both released under their old label(s) Darla and Wichita, both indpendents, I wouldn't imagine them being available at a Best Buy/Circuit City/large music chain type place. I could be wrong though. I'd check around for any independent/smaller stores around your area. Hastings is a chain in Texas that fortunately has pretty good selection/quantity and carries the big names as well as the smaller, more independent label stuff. I typically get stuff online now so I can avoid places like Best Buy, plus if you look hard enough, you can save $$$.

cc10106

Oh, also I'd say At Dawn is their best 'record'. I can't really explain why, but I just hear it. It's just classic. Tennessee Fire is also great, but is pretty lo-fi (recording-wise). Both are 2 of my favorites by anyone, anywhere.

seagoat2

cc10106 wrote:

Oh, also I'd say At Dawn is their best 'record'. I can't really explain why, but I just hear it. It's just classic. Tennessee Fire is also great, but is pretty lo-fi (recording-wise). Both are 2 of my favorites by anyone, anywhere.

Gonna go pick those 2 up. Since getting into MMJ I'd have to say they are my new fave. band too. I'm really inspired my them. Can't stop listening (when I'm not listening to PJ, that is)......:-)

soulsinging

tennessee fire and at dawn have a similar sound to each other, but both sound kinda different from the later two albums. they're good, but as someone mentioned, they take longer to reveal themselves.

deadmosquito

the tennessee fire and at dawn are both much better than it still moves and z, IMO. i prefer their more lo-fi sound on record than the full band sound. before the last two albums were released, part of the magic of MMJ for me was the difference between their recorded sound and the live sound. i couldn't believe they were the same band. and i loved that. i feel that while it still moves and z are really great albums, something is just lacking when they attempted to capture that live sound on record.

if that makes any sense.

basically, definitely pick up tennessee fire and at dawn. especially at dawn.

INDIFFERENCE MAKER

All their Albums are amazing. AT DAWN is flawless!
But some of their best stuff is other releases. Get their EP's as well, COBRA is a fantastic song.

LOVE THE JACKET!!


some love for KY baby

pearljam_addiction

i love Z to death, but its probably my least favorite MMJ album

if i was to rank them
1- It still moves
2- At Dawn
3- Tennessee Fire
4- Z

LedZepFan

Z is incredible, easily my favorite of MMJ's works...I think they've gotten progressively better with each album thus far...hopefully this year's release will continue that trend!

dirty fwank

definitely pick up ttf and at dawn- both are amazing

ttf might take a couple listens to get into but trust me it will hit you and you will realize how fuckin good it really is...right now its my favorite mmj album, but thats always changing