Bonnaroo Music Festival 2004 CD

By 2004, the Bonnaroo festival's third year, the lauded Tennessee music event had transcended its jam-band tag, becoming the one of the preeminent annual US rock gatherings. Although jam-oriented acts such as the Dead, Dave Matthews, and Trey Anastasio all turned in sets here, the 2004 lineup also included acclaimed singer/songwriters (Gillian Welch, Beth Orton, Damien Rice), Southern alt-rockers (My Morning Jacket, Kings of Leon), and rock icons (Bob Dylan, Steve Winwood, David Byrne).

While this two-disc, 24-song sampler barely skims the surface of the music on offer during this three-day festival, it still presents a fine example of Bonnaroo's eclectic sounds. On "This Disc," Dylan leads his band through a rollicking take on "Down Along the Cove," Welch brings haunting bluegrass to the masses with "Caleb Meyer," and My Morning Jacket rocks out with fierce abandon on "One Big Holiday." On "That Disc," eccentric bands Primus and Ween churn out strange, moody tunes with "Frizzle Fry" and "Zoloft," respectively. One thing that unites many performers here, regardless of their musical style, is love of the extended live song, with more than half of the tracks exceeding the five-minute mark. Clearly, the Bonnaroo festival is a place for both musicians and their fans to cut loose, and this compilation serves to reinforce that carefree vibe.