Orange County Register

The last time I saw the artsy Southern rock band My Morning Jacket at a festival, it was at Austin City Limits, and the hirsute, normally serious group came out clad in beachwear amid hula dancers and metal detectors. For Coachella, however, they stripped it down: just Jim James and his four cohorts on stage (plus, for one song, the rustic M. Ward), playing bare-bones rock in all its steamy, screamy glory.

Opening with the hyperactive guitar licks of “One Big Holiday,” MMJ used much of its set to preview the terrific new album “Evil Urges,” veering from the Prince-ly beats of “Highly Suspicious” to the melodramatic builds in the glitchy slow burn “Smokin’ from Shootin’.” Coming just before the unbelievable production involved with Roger Waters‘ set was unveiled, MMJ’s triumph was proof that sometimes all you need to make an impact are the right chords, the right wail and, occasionally, the right beard.

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