On their second album for Darla Records, My Morning Jacket sound perfect. That is to say, they haven’t changed a bit, and we like them that way. At Dawn is full of the same strumming acoustic guitar, hauntingly treated vocals, elements of country and blues, and everything else that made The Tennessee Fire a magnificent country, rock, and Americana stew. When bandleader Jim James sings, “We start this time with open ears,” you know you’re heading into familiar territory, as open ears were what you needed the first time you took this trip with James and the rest of My Morning Jacket. Open ears led you through the stark and beautiful landscape of The Tennessee Fire, and now they take you on a similar trip, from the sunshine of “Lowdown,” “The Way He Sings,” and “Just Because I Do” to the rainy day appeal of “If It Smashes Down” and “I Needed It Most.” Echoes of Galaxie 500, For Stars, and classic Americana (Neil Young, the Band, Dylan, the Velvet Underground, etc.) find their way into this record to varying degrees, but they seem to float along lending help and comfort, rather than showing themselves directly. Like Belle & Sebastian, My Morning Jacket’s songs have remained essentially the same, and At Dawn is the sound of a band hitting its stride. – Terrance Miles
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