Followers in awe of lead singer Jim James’ piercing tenor will find a number of rarities across the My Morning Jacket catalog, but few more intriguing than this EP. Released on May 4, 2004, it was supposedly recorded at the Startime Pavilion in Braintree, Massachusetts – but no such venue, in fact, exists.
No surprise, then, that Acoustic Citsuoca carries with it a certain mystique that goes beyond the six riveting acoustic songs. The actual recordings reportedly took place in Austin, Dallas and Atlanta sometime during October 2003.
If anything, this collection of live recordings puts to rest the myth that My Morning Jacket’s enchanting sounds and melodies are a product of drowning reverb over James’ voice. The band has used the technique on many of its tracks, of course, but there have been plenty of examples in the past where Jim James’ incredibly versatile range just made it appear to be tampered with too much.
Same here. As James goes solo on three out of six tracks, Acoustic Citsuoca sparks awe in the Kentucky kid’s falsetto all over again.
The EP opens up with a “The Bear,” an encouraging message of renewal that is absolute candy to the ears and mind: The time is near, to come forward with whatever killed your spark / There’s still time, for you, to change your mind or whatever else you do. That’s followed by a rare performance of “Sooner,” off the My Morning Jacket’s Chocolate and Ice EP.
Next, the band exits and James and his guitar send the listener into a melodic trance with a classic performance of “Bermuda Highway” from the 2001 full-length project At Dawn: Oh, don’t carve me out! / Don’t let your silly dreams / fall in between the crack of the bed and the wall. Jim James’ delicate yet powerful voice resonates in your head for weeks after hearing this reminder to hold on to your past, the good and the bad.
The real treat on this intimate collection has to be “Golden” from My Morning Jacket’s 2003 album It Still Moves: People always told me / that bars are dark and lonely / and talk is often cheap and filled with air / Sure, sometimes they thrill me / but nothin’ could ever chill me / Like the way they make the time just disappear.
This personal piece seems written straight from the mind of a rocker on the road, someone who’s looking for something more. Yet, it sounds painfully hopeful in this live setting. Acoustic Citsuoca then ends with a lover’s plea in “Hopefully,” and a lover’s goodbye in a classic version of “By My Car,” which was only available on the vinyl copy.
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