(Photo Credit - Danny Clinch)
#HotTake Review - My Morning Jacket: The Waterfall II (July 10, 2020) via ATO Records
After a five-year wait, alt legends My Morning Jacket have released a new album titled The Waterfall II. The Waterfall II is a collection of "lost songs" from around their 2015 release of the Grammy-nominated, The Waterfall. The vinyl and CD releases are out August 28 but for now, we all can enjoy new music from My Morning Jacket streaming on your favorite platform.
On The Waterfall II, My Morning Jacket provide similar themes to the album's sister album. There's an an aura of curiosity that abounds. There's loss there, but it doesn't leave you feeling down. The tracks also lift to high heights, often guided by Jim James' vocals and the dynamic harmonies that have become My Morning Jacket's signature. There's also some downright great guitar work on this album (see "Beautiful Love (Wasn't Enough)" and"Wasted").
"Welcome Home" is a come to the water moment on the album. It's paced well, deliberate, and reminds of times gone by. As the standard bearers for psychedelic-inspired sound in alt, there are times where Jim James and company go there as well. They also manage to mind that line of Americana and psychedelic much in the way that The Grateful Dead did ("Climb the Ladder" for the former and "Feel You" for the latter).
For Fans of My Morning Jacket, you're going to love this album. For those who maybe haven't been around in a while, give it a shot. For the uninitiated, you gotta see what you're missing. The Waterfall II is another entry in the race for album of the year, with a year that's been chock full of those. This is must-listen stuff here kids.
Rating - 5/5