Seems to me that if you put My Morning Jacket’s Jim James, Bright Eyes’ Conor Oberst and Fahey-loving Portlander M. Ward in a room together to record an album, you’d be making some history. To me, that sounds like a Million Dollar Quartet/Traveling Willburys type of deal. Of course, that would never happen. James is such a busy dude, as explained in a recent Rolling Stone piece:

The Jacket will tour through 2008, wrapping up with a New Year’s Eve blowout at the Garden; he’s recording an album with Conor Oberst and M. Ward; and, bizarrely, he’s dead serious about making music as an alter ego he describes as an Asian country star named Sec Walkin (after the Evil Urges tune about walking).

See, he’s too busy touring and recording an album with WHAAAAAAA?

I know what you’re thinking: “Tsss. Bright Eyes? Dude, c’mon.” Say what you will about Oberst, the kid has done some great stuff (and some not-so-great stuff). With a little direction from other artists (uhm, JIM JAMES and M. WARD, maybe?), he may yet live up to his late-’90s hype. Plus he’s always been good in collaboration (with Britt Daniel for the Home series, with Neva Dinova on One Jug of Win, Two Vessels). Ward’s credentials speak for themselves, and while My Morning Jacket’s stuff is sometimes a bit overwhelming for me, someone’s gotta be the wacky one in the boy band.

Here’s my question: Do they have a name? ‘Cause I think we could have a pretty bitchin’ naming contest here on LocalCut. Of course, I also thought we should pick the new Thermals drummer. I’m an idea man! Already sent the MySpace message to Ward asking for naming rights.

Links:
M. Ward
Bright Eyes
My Morning Jacket
Pitchfork Article (thanks for the tip!)

Photo: The Traveling Willburys!