I was a passive fan of My Morning Jacket at first, but their performance at Bonnaroo in 2008 brought me into the deep end. For those unfamiliar with the band's reverb-drenched classic rock riffs, 2011 is an excellent time to jump in and see what these musicians have to offer.

Last month My Morning Jacket took part in American Express and Youtube's collaborative "Unstaged" series, broadcasting an entire concert from the Palace in their hometown of Louisville. Not only was it an incredible experience (I was there), it featured an unexpected guest: Erykah Badu. Badu performed four songs with the band--two of hers ("Twinkle" and "Tyrone"), and two from MMJ's catalog ("Wordless Chorus" and "The Day Will Come"). But it was undoubtedly their new songs that stole the show. Similarly, the group just recorded an episode of VH1's "Storytellers" that found them visiting songs old and new to explain the stories behind their creation.

The "Unstaged" event took place on the release day of their new album Circuital. Recorded in a church gymnasium, Circuital is a reaction to the recording and reception of the group's last record Evil Urges. While Urges was more frantic, Circuital is a much mellower record. As for the reviews, so far they've been excellent. The album debuted at #5--their highest ever--and it's led to a string of successful festival slots this summer. After a long relationship with Bonnaroo, this year My Morning Jacket played an 8pm slot on the main stage, just before the Arcade Fire headlined that evening.

I can't wait for the next My Morning Jacket tour, when I'm sure they'll be headlining on their own. They're such a strong all-around group that it's no wonder why I deem them Character Approved.

[Image: You Ain't No Picasso]