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My Morning Jacket with Boston Pops
Symphony Hall
June 22, 2006
By John DeCarli

There were two distinct groups of people who made the trip out to Symphony Hall on Thursday night June 22. As conductor Keith Lockheart astutely remarked, there were My Morning Jacket fans and there were those who had never heard of My Morning Jacket. The two groups showed up in almost equal proportions to see a very unique pairing -- whether they realized it or not. There were some confused looks from your more traditional Pops fans when they discovered they would be seeing the alt country rockers perform alongside the famous orchestra, but by the end of the night, those confused looks evaporated and were replaced by broad smiles.

The night was dubbed "Pops on the Edge," and not only because of My Morning Jacket. During their opening set sans the band, the Pops performed some atypical symphonic selections that proved to be worth the risk. Rouse's "Bump," lovingly described as a "conga line through hell," and excerpts from Elvis Costello's orchestral work "Il Sogno" showcased the orchestra's versatility and its conductor's willingness to try new and exciting things. Of course even more traditional pieces like Gershwin's "An American in Paris" were played to perfection.

However the really interesting part came after intermission as My Morning Jacket took the stage in front of Lockheart and the Pops. The five shaggy figures looked a little strange and uncomfortable in their fancy suits, especially singer/songwriter/guitarist Jim James. His bushy, curly hair took on a life of its own, obscuring his head as he convulsed to the music. James is a formidable frontman, his fiery passion always evident and engrossing, and the perfect counterpoint to his mellow songwriting.

James led his band and the orchestra through a collection of great My Morning Jacket tunes both old and new, beginning with the title track off their 2001 record At Dawn. The song, and indeed the album's, slow, haunting blend of rock, country, and americana made it a perfect choice to embellish with symphonic touches. Lockheart led the strings through long, lingering passages supporting the sound of the acoustic guitar nicely. Throughout the show, the band and orchestra were remarkably in synch; the arrangements added substance to the songs, not just content. In fact, the band too often overpowered the Pops, drowning out the lovely accompaniment with loud guitar or James's vocals.

However the two groups delivered rousing performances delighting both parts of the crowd. By the time "Wordless Chorus" began the audience's cheers nearly obscured the simple keyboard and drums intro. "Wordless Chorus" and "Gideon", two tracks from My Morning Jacket's textured, lush, and beautiful 2005 album Z, were well received and added some diversity to their set. Z represents a big step forward for My Morning Jacket, using the skills of new guitarist Carl Broemel and keyboardist Bo Koster effectively. The two, along with some great new songwriting from James, were able to leave the band's signature reverb and country twang intact while adding new dimensions to the band's sound.

By the end of the show, the smiles on the face's of both proved that Pops on the Edge was well worth the risk. Too often in music the fabricated divisions of "genres" prevent collaborations like this from happening, but with respected groups like the Pops trying new things the walls appear to be falling.

Boston LiveTM

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