Life is Music™

Here’s another reason why Umphrey’s McGee treats their fans better than any band in the business.  First it started with incredible sounding live matrix recordings (mix of soundboard and audience) that the band uploaded for anyone to download for free.  Sound caresser, Kevin Browning, did this for several years until it evolved into UMlive where a fan can now take home the night’s show minutes after the show is over, or he/she can download it later in mp3 or FLAC format.

With spontaneity and trust in mind, last October the band then created the Stew Art Series (S2).  In the Stew Art Series (S2), the band selects certain cities they are already playing and releases a very limited amount of tickets to an all out improvisational afternoon concert where the fans dictate what the band plays on the spot.  A Q&A session and a meet and greet follow with each attendee taking home an autographed copy of the performance.  The band works through each idea the fans dictate with complex signals that keep everyone on their toes.  A portion of the proceeds go to the USTORM charity which helps children and young adults to improve their lives by providing access to various music and arts education programs.  What an awesome idea!

Now the band is now stepping it up once more with their own take on American football.  The first annual UMBowl will take place at Lincoln Hall in Chicago on April 24th, 2010. UMBowl is a 4+ hour musical extravaganza where the band will play four quarters of music, each with a different interactive theme.

The first quarter will be comprised of an acoustic set chosen entirely by the attendees who will cast their votes for which songs will be played in advance.  For the second quarter the band goes back to the Stew Art Series and will text their soundman ideas, he will then display them on a big screen and the fans must text in “plays” and march the band down the field.  The third quarter is the all request quarter.  Once again each attendee will fill out a ballot in advance and express how they want the songs and interludes to go.  In the final quarter, the fans are the quarterbacks.  During the songs the band plays, options will be provided on the big screen and the fans can then text in which direction the band should go.  The band aims to please and any attendee of this game will certainly get their moneys worth.

Umphrey’s McGee has come far.  Along this road to prog-rocking legendary status, it’s refreshing to know they never have forgotten their deep and loyal fanbase.  The band now fills theaters and clubs to capacity all across the country yet they still are willing to keep their ticket prices low.  Continually they look for new and unique ideas to impress and grant open access to their fans.  The band has never hid their love of sports and UMBowl again shows that.  This should be a wonderful experience for all those who attend.  Umphrey’s McGee is the best.  Midwest represent!

Also check out the band’s blog, The Floor, for a behind the scenes look into the day to day happenings of the band.

My Morning Jacket

Even if you’ve been hiding underground for the past ten years you’ve probably felt the presence of My Morning Jacket.  This band has given new meaning to rock! and thankfully at just the right time when the rock scene had little to be grateful for.  David Dye, the longtime Philadelphia radio personality and host of the terrific public radio show World Café gave me my first dose of My Morning Jacket in the summer of 2003.  This was just before the release of their third album It Still Moves and I’ve been pumping my fist ever since.

1. Z - This album is an ass kicker.  My Morning Jacket’s evolution from It Still Moves to this album is an amazing accomplishment especially considering the addition of two new members.  Just as I wouldn’t punch a good friend in the gut without first telling him it’s coming, Z is not my first recommendation to anyone new to the band.  Their first three albums should be given some spins before this one gets tackled or one may get hurt and sent home crying.  The production of Z is much cleaner than their previous efforts which were thick in foggy reverb, and singer & guitarist Jim James took his song writing to a new level while leaving production duties behind for the first time.  John Leckie produced this magnificent gem that is the most creative, pulsating and rhythmically driving record to date for the band.  From beginning to end Z is nearly flawless, and it produced some of my favorite tracks ever by the band including “It Beats 4 U”, “Gideon”, “Anytime” and the patient monster, “Dondante”.  I hold this album in very high regard.
2. At Dawn – Recently I found out that a bottle of wine, a warm and sunny evening, and At Dawn at a moderate volume is a wonderful combination.  At Dawn is My Morning Jacket’s second album and was released June 5th, 2001.  It soon got the recognition it deserved and became a key turning point on the road that got the band to where they are today.  This album is warm in layers of acoustic and electric guitar and is the first with keyboards which is an essential element to the band’s southern gothic sound.  Jim James’ vocals on At Dawn are dreamy at times, and emotionally raw at others, all the while pushing the edge to what would become My Morning Jacket’s trademark sound.  I really like the title track as well as “Death is the Easy Way”, “Honest Man” and “Phone Went West”.  At Dawn is a perfect place to start.
3. It Still Moves - It Still Moves was a nice follow up to the buzz shaped by At Dawn and it layed the roots deep for their present rock-n-roll sound.  This album was released September 9th, 2003 on ATO Records, the first major label release for the band.  The record was introduced with some critical acclaim and it certainly doesn’t shy away from being accessible with a poppier rock sound, but overall it lacks the edge and inventiveness of their previous and follow-up efforts respectively.  That doesn’t mean this isn’t a good album though as It Still Moves produced some powerhouse live tunes like “One Big Holiday”, a huge rocker with some of the nastiest guitar riffs ever.  “Mahgeetah”, “Dancefloors” and “Run Thru” also rock big and ”Steam Engine” and “Golden” are nice mellower numbers.  This was my introduction to this great band and I imagine it was many others’ as well.  Check it out.
4. Evil Urges - My Morning Jacket’s most recent record Evil Urges was released June 10th, 2008 and represents once again a major change for the band.  Following the 2005 classic Z, Evil Urges once more explores experimentation but this time it takes it up a notch or three as a genre-bending album full of funk inspiration, falsetto vocals, prog-rocking structure and everything else the band has been known for.  The eclecticism mentioned sometimes makes for a bumpy ride and therefore Evil Urges falls to #4 on my list when evaluating the album as a whole.  That doesn’t mean Evil Urges lacks brilliance because it is brilliant in numerous places.  Just check out the title track “Evil Urges”, the country-rockin “Sec Walkin”, the hard rockers ”Aluminum Park” and “Remnants”, the great lyrics in “Smokin from Shootin”, and perhaps the best track on the album “Touch Me I’m Going To Scream Pt. 2″.  I imagine the band had a lot of fun writing Evil Urges, but overall my funny bone ain’t always tickled by this one. 
5. The Tennessee Fire - It’s hard to believe it’s been 10 years since My Morning Jacket released their first album on May 25th, 1999.  In The Tennessee Fire, Jim James shines through the dark smoky reverb filled atmosphere the acoustic guitars, electric guitars, lap steel, bass and drums evoke.  This album was recorded in a grain silo on a Kentucky farm and in its echoey chamber sound it is quite obvious.  But leaving all production judgement behind, The Tennessee Fire is a beautiful alt-country album made of emotional songs that sound like they were written by Jim James and a bottle of cheap bourbon in a backwoods mountain shack.  The deliberate reverbed sound of this album keeps one warm through the moody and intimate lyrics Jim James cries.  “The Bear” is a very fine song that foreshadows where this band soon would go.  “Evelyn Is Not Real” is extremely beautiful as is “I Will Be There When You Die”.  The Tennessee Fire is a terrific album that sits at the bottom of my list more so due to the strength of the others, rather than the lack of its own brilliance.  If you’re a sad bastard, you’ll probably love this one.

On the run to support the newly released album Mantis, Chicago’s finest band Umphrey’s McGee paid Minneapolis and the best rock club in town a three day visit once again.  It was eleven months since their last shows at First Avenue and expectations were high, especially from those of us who attended the 2008 run.

Night one was Friday, January 30th and for some reason this night turned into the amateur hour.  I secured one of the best spots in the house on the balcony, had a pint, and made some new friends while waiting for the show to start.  Finally Umphrey’s McGee was back onstage in Minneapolis and they opened with “Red Tape” and also worked in “Spires” off of the new album during the first set.  “Miss Tinkle’s Overture” was an interesting rendition but wait, did I just see a crowd surfer down on the floor?!?  No way…

Set two was more lively and became a good primer for what night two would bring.  They brought in the set with “Pay the Snucka” and worked through an awesome “Ja Junk” which pushed the energy levels up.  Hey is that girl crowd surfing down there?  What the shit?  Hey there’s another guy crowd surfing too!  Awesome!!!  I’m surprised the usually iron-fisted and authoritative First Avenue security guards didn’t start cracking heads.  “Cemetary Walk” from Mantis ended the set in style and for the encore they finally worked back to resolve “Pay the Snucka”.  This show was average due largely in part to the disrespectful distractions on the floor, but it did leave a lot of possibilities open for a Saturday night rock show.

Saturday, January 31st was the first time in the entire month of January that Minneapolis reached above the freezing mark.  The sun was shining bright and warm, loosening those winter blues and optimistic smiles were pasted on everyone’s faces.  I went back to the same balcony rail as the night before and met some new friendly faces as well as the guys from the night before.  The area soon became known as ”the circle of trust”.  Saturday night was going to go off!

The band waltzed onstage and drummer Kris Myers clicked his sticks together one-two-three-crack right into the slow and heavy head bobbing “Push the Pig”, a perfect show opener.  “Andy’s Last Beer” was terrific as was “Turn & Run” from Mantis.  For the first time I got to see “Bright Lights” live which was jazzed up by the addition of local-boy Kevin Sinclair on saxophone.  Now there was no turning back.

Set two started with a big “Hell’s Bells” tease which worked into the teenage wasteland “Baba O’Riley”.  Awesome!!  Soon the song “Mantis” came big and my wait was over, this song is grand in every which way.  Not to be outdone, “Front Porch > Resolution” stepped up next and the show officially went off the deep end.  High-fives were flying all around and it was impossible to stop smiling being engulfed in the wonderful energy.  The night ended with a nice “Syncopated Strangers > Cemetery Walk II” mash and then it all seemed to be over too soon.  Thankfully Sunday night was still remaining.

Umphrey's McGee - 01.31.09

Umphrey's McGee - 01.31.09

Umphrey's McGee - 01.31.09

Umphrey's McGee - 01.31.09

Each night Pittsburgh native and bassist Ryan Stasik sported a different Steelers jersey.  Night one was Willie Parker, Hines Ward was night two, and for Super Bowl Sunday it was Troy Polamalu.  First Avenue held a pre-show Super Bowl party and I walked in during the wild fourth quarter and joined a few others who had been watching the game.  About twenty minutes after the game, the curtain was raised for night three and there Stasik was waving a terrible towel.

By the time the headbanging “Wizard Burial Ground” was complete, it was obvious the band was loose and it was going to be a fun night.  With First Avenue maybe two-thirds full there was room to move and soon “Phil’s Farm” brought the boogie and was easily the highlight of set one.

The Mantis number “1348″ that I’d been waiting to hear live opened the flood gates to set number two and it was every bit as good as I had hoped.  Pink Floyd’s “Breathe” cover was a nice treat and “Triple Wide” was fun although not quite as rockin as usual but set-ender, “40’s Theme”, didn’t have a problem making up for it.  The encore of the night was Led Zeppelin’s “The Song Remains the Same” and upon its conclusion a very memorable fist-pumping, music-uniting, rock show of a weekend was over in style.  And I could not be more grateful.

Umphrey’s McGee is releasing their sixth studio album entitled Mantis to the world on January 20th, 2009.  Perhaps not by coincidence, this is also inauguration day in America for a fellow Chicagoan which marks a progressive step forward in a new direction for our country.  Thanks to the prudence of Umphrey’s McGee and the dedication to their fans, I received my copy of Mantis a few days before they hit store shelves.

For their past studio efforts, Umphrey’s McGee molded and remolded tunes onstage while wide eyes watched and then they layed them down in the studio.  But for Mantis the band moved in an entirely new direction.  This album was chiseled out in the studio and offers 100% new material that fans had yet to hear.  A few months before the release Umphrey’s McGee released some tracks to their myspace page and then offered a one of a kind pre-order package that was eaten up with overwhelming success.

Mantis starts off with”Made to Measure”, a short and fun concoction with great lyrics and choruses that makes one feel as though he’s bouncing over speed bumps on a Huffy bike.  Title song “Mantis” is track three on the album and a true monster that will undoubtedly be huge onstage.  Huge may be an understatement as with the first listen this song stood out as the strongest on the album and each subsequent listen only makes it better.  Jake Cinninger’s guitar rips through the emotion Brendan Bayliss’ lyrics build and the subtle addition of a string section over the interlude works wonderfully.

Track four is entitled “Cemetary Walk”.  The tune starts off with a Joel Cummin’s piano intro then breaks loose with verses toned in a danceable 80’s rhythm.  Only half-way through the album and thematic undertones of introspection are becoming very clear.  By the time “Cemetary Walk” ends it feels as though you are being pushed through a meat grinder.  This song is great, especially if you like being pushed through a meat grinder! 

Number six is entitled “Turn & Run”.  This is a nice tune with great vocals but overall it isn’t much of a standout until Cinninger let’s go on the second half of it.  And when I say let go I mean letting go in an Eddie VanHalen-esque shred your mind with tight leather pants, ripped sleeves and big hair sort of way!  Holy shit!  “Turn & Run” leads into track seven perfectly and I could easily see these going back-to-back onstage.  Track seven is “Spires”, a muff heavy guitar song that asks a lot of questions and then answers them by the end with a slight sense of optimism.  “Spires” is as much of Mantis as any tune on the album, yet it seems to be the one that could not be removed without significantly damaging the other remaining parts.

“Prophecy Now” is the title of track eight.  This is a chanty prayer-like song sung by keyboardist, Joel Cummins, with an electronic drum beat driven rhythm.  I’m not sure how it will translate live, but it may make for a wonderful show or set opener.  Track nine is called “Red Tape” and is dominated by the synthesized sounds of Joel Cummins.  The tune is fairly forgettable on the album but should work well onstage.  Mantis ends with “1348″, a melting pot of Umphrey’s McGee’s sound and I cannot wait to hear this one live!  Kris Myer’s drumming is every bit as heavy as Jake Cinninger’s progressive guitar-work, and before the song is over everyone has had a chance to interject.  ”1348″ ends in double time leaving the listener dizzily wishing that he had worn a seat belt.  A great closer indeed.

Mantis is the strongest studio album to date for Umphrey’s McGee.  Leaving their always anticipated midwest humor behind, it’s an album thematically heavy on self-introspection, reflection and change and by the end it I believe the title is finally understood.  Mantis is not referring to the female insect that has a nasty habit of eating her male partner after mating, it is referring to death of the past and optimism for the future.  Regardless of its symbolization Mantis deserves a good listen.  With two years of effort put into it, Mantis is gorgeously composed and the most artistically cohesive album to date for the band.  

Mantis

TRACK LIST:
1. Made to Measure 3:12
2. Preamble 0:36
3. Mantis 11:49
4. Cemetery Walk 7:30
5. Cemetery Walk II 2:19
6. Turn & Run 7:25
7. Spires 7:41
8. Prophecy Now 2:47
9. Red Tape 5:43
10. 1348 4:49

                                              Total Running Time: 54:04

Starting January 19th, Umphrey’s McGee will be touring heavily in support of this album so please do yourself a favor and go see them live when they come to your town.