The past few days have sucked. Between the two latest high-profile police shootings of black males and the murder of police officers in Dallas, the violence present in our society – yes, ours, as in the whole world – is becoming impossible to ignore. Black Lives Matter protesters have once again taken to the streets with a powerful message: Stop killing us. There’s always an outpouring of grief in the wake of a shooting, with members of every community pleading for the violence to stop (including a new Jay Z track). Now My Morning Jacket have added their voices to the call, releasing a new song Magic Bullet, along with a heartfelt message.

The mood of the piece is somber, but harnesses the funk that My Morning Jacket is known for. An attitude of dread builds from the start, and is underlying throughout the whole track. It’s the lyrics that drive the band’s message home, though. In one big call for change, Jim James (who recently appeared in a cute and moving Chipotle ad which also featured Alabama Shakes) expresses his  frustration at the system. “Ain’t no magic bullet/Come from a magic shell” he sings painfully. Later, he castigates his inability to find the solution that he knows is inside him. “But I know there’s a solution/Deep within myself/But I ain’t never gonna reach it/Without somebody’s help.” The pain is evident in his voice as he nearly screams the final series of “Come on,” in part to the listener, in part to himself.

The track is accompanied by a lengthy statement from the band, in which MMJ state “I don’t pretend to think that a song can fix or change the world instantly…. BUT if we say nothing then nothing will ever change. and things have got to change.” Read the full statement below, along with the lyrics of Magic Bullet.

https://soundcloud.com/my-morning-jacket/magicbullet

MMJ’s Statement:

violence is never the answer.
only love.
we all need to be a part of the discussion.
part of the solution.
how long will it take before we realize-
we are all the same.
this is not idealistic dreaming.
this is a fact-
we all want only to love and be loved.
to nuture and protect those we love.

hate comes from the illusion that we are separate and cut off from
one another by factors like race and religion but this simply is not true.

it does not matter your race/creed/sexual orientation we are all filled with the same beautiful blood- a mix of old and new generations… past present and future…we are all in there somewhere…in the blood lines together…all of humanity.

a beautiful mix of male and female and all the colors rolled up into this wonderful gift we call life. a gift that should be celebrated like the beautiful rainbow that it is- not riddled by bullets and cut to pieces spilling and wasting that precious blood.

I don’t pretend to think that a song can fix or change the world instantly, and I don’t pretend to know the ins and outs of the political landscape and proper gun control legislation-
BUT if we say nothing then nothing will ever change.
and things have got to change.

so maybe if we all sing out-
if we all speak out- for peace. for equality. for justice. for an end to the violence…then perhaps we can together change the world for the better-
create a world of true peace, love, and acceptance where our differences are celebrated because we realize they are in fact all just shades of the same wondrous human rainbow.

dare to dream. dreams can come true.

no one said it better than Dr. King:
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” here is a wish from us to you for peace,love, understanding, and an end to the violence.

we hope you enjoy this song that basically says
there can be a solution…
but none of us can do it alone.
we have to get together.

peace and love,
my morning jacket

Magic Bullet Lyrics

Ain’t no magic bullet come from magic shell.
No other way to put it. Far as i can tell.
Ain’t no way to solve a problem of the streets.
With an itchy trigger finger…
servant of disease.
I mean come on…

Hear it from the people. Read it in the press.
Learn it at the steeple. Forget it in distress.
Lookin for salvation…just a little help.
But it never seems to find me…
i’m gonna take it for myself.
I mean c’mon….
(there’s got to be a better way)

That low feelin starts to get to me-
need to find escape.
So smoke it fills the lungs…
and drink corrupts the brain.
And morals get confused…
in a desperate mind.
And there ain’t no wrong or right…
in a desperate time.

But i know there’s a solution-
deep within myself.
But i ain’t never gonna reach it…
without somebody’s help.
I mean a come on…

Image: Pop Matters

Chipotle has a fantastic marketing team. Despite whatever you may think of their fast food, they make really good ads. Often taking a swipe at industrial food processing and artificial ingredients, the cutesy animations are superbly well made. But Alex, I hear you ask, Howl and Echo isn’t a marketing blog, why are we talking about a Chipotle ad? Well, first of all, it’s Howl and Echoes and secondly, each ad features a pretty great cover of a (usually) classic song. Their most recent advertisement is no exception, with a cover of The Beach Boys‘ I Want It That Way being performed by Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes and My Morning Jacket‘s Jim James.

The ad follows two young children selling lemonade (the drink, not the album) and orange juice from competing stalls. What follows is a cautionary tale about rampant capitalism free market economics artificial ingredients and the lack of authenticity in the fast food industry, all soundtracked to the great sounds of Alabama Shakes and Jim James. The pair grow up in competition, upgrading their stalls from simple tables to buildings, to chain franchises that colour the city. In the end they discover the horrors of what their dreams have come, with horrible tasting fast food, processed en masse through machines and artificial flavours. Eventually, they remember their roots. They come together and fall in love, opening up their own family small business.

Nawww. It’s part of the same campaign as their previous ad, which saw Fiona Apple covering Pure Imagination from Willy Wonka, and was also surprisingly moving, if not exactly subtle. You can watch the latest ad below, and enjoy the sweet re-imagining of the Backstreet Boys classic.

https://youtu.be/nKleQ1MXMCs

Image: Idolator

Following the tragic Paris attacks last month, Eagles of Death Metal sent a request throughout the music industry, asking them to cover their track I Love You All The Time, off their recent album Zipper Down (which they were on tour promoting at the time of the attack). The request was part of a “Play It Forward” campaign by charity group The Sweet Stuff Foundation, with proceeds going to the victims affected by the horrific attacks on November 13 2015.

A few covers have so far been released, but today, the band have officially unveiled the first set, from artists including Florence and the Machine, Mini Mansions, Kings of Leon and Jimmy Eat World are some of the artists who’ve contributed covers. Pearl Jam have also released a live cover of EODM track I Want You So Hard, on top of an ILYATT cover by drummer Matt Cameron.

The band have posted all covers here. All proceeds will be donated to charity.

While he wasn’t in Paris at the time, co-founder Josh Homme was just as affected by the news, as we saw in this exclusive, heartbreaking interview with himself and Jesse Hughes for Vice. He released the following statement about the project:

I made a plea to artists and business people alike to come together to use our solidarity as proof that we are stronger together, and that we can make a difference. We are proud to be a little part of such a big group of talent and good will. We can’t thank these artists enough for their donations of talent, love, time, and compassion. Now, the Play It Forward Campaign is in the hands of the fans to help us make a difference, and to help those affected by this tragedy. Please listen, purchase, play, and enjoy – and know that every time you do, you’re doing the sweet stuff that makes that difference.

Eagles of Death metal have also just announced a string of brand new European tour dates, following their vow to return to Paris as soon as possible after the attacks cut their set sort and saw the devastating deaths of eighty-nine concertgoers.

Listen below, and purchase, stream or even submit your own version right here.

My Morning Jacket performed a cover of Eagles Of Death Metal‘s I Love You All The Time as a tribute to the rock band at their concert in New York City. According to Stereogum, they followed the performance with a minute of silence for the victims of the Paris attacks.

The cover comes in the wake of not only the tragic turn of events during the Eagles of Death Metal show in Paris on November 13 when three gunmen opened fire on their audience, but also after an interview the band conducted with VICE last week. The conversation was intense and full of emotion; their descriptions of their experiences were vivid in hallowing detail. The band put a plea out to the world to say that if anyone covered their song I Love You All The Time, they would donate their side of the royalties to the victims of the shootings, and now it seems My Morning Jacket have heard their call.

They also vowed to play at Le Bataclan theatre again once, which was also mentioned by Julian Dorio on Instagram. ““Our friends went there to see rock and roll and died. I want to go back there and live,” Hughes said.

After the incident, the band said they were “proud to stand together” in a social media post. It’s clear from this tribute that that rest of music industry is standing with them as well.

Watch the cover and listen to the original below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FasWxkMIGq8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LT0tT8wTjg