ATO Signs MMJ

By Waldo Jaquith
The rumors have built over the past month, and now they've coalesced into apparent fact: ATO Records has signed little-known rock act My Morning Jacket. The Louisville, Kentucky-based quintet has an odd sound: think acoustic strumming, reverb-laden electric guitar, vocals thick with echo and basic rock-and-roll rhythms, all sounding almost-but-not-quite country. The news of their signing isn't altogether surprising, since they toured with ATO's Ben Kweller this summer after playing at DMB manager Coran Capshaw's Charlottesville music venue, Starr Hill, back in May. MTV reported last week that My Morning Jacket will be working on their third album, under the ATO imprint, this fall. MMJ is ATO Records' sixth artist since the company was launched in early 2000 by Coran Capshaw, Dave Matthews, Michael McDonald and Chris Tetzeli. Our thanks to Debbie from dmbrr.com for the news.