When an established band decides to put out a mid-career self-titled album it usually signals a reset for the artists involved. My Morning Jacket’s ninth studio album is exactly that as the group was unsure they would ever record again following 2015’s The Waterfall.
The quintet (vocalist/guitar Jim James, bassist Tom Blankenship, drummer Patrick Hallahan, guitarist Carl Broemel, and keyboardist Bo Koster) secluded themselves in an L.A. studio and allowed no outside producers, friends or hangers on in as they tried to recapture the spark that made them special. My Morning Jacket, for the most part, succeeds as the album fuses My Morning Jacket’s more polished moments with their fuzzy jam band origins into a successful brew.
James’ theme throughout, combining direct questioning of modern-day ills and poetic lyricism, opens the record on the pulsing “Regularly Scheduled Programming” before the chugging yet dull “Love Love Love”. Things start off in that same lackluster vein for “In Color” before thankfully kicking up with some excellent guitar soloing, surely to become a live staple. That feeling of taking it to the stage is directly addressed with the coming out of pandemic and gathering together, upbeat and jaunty “Lucky To Be Alive” while “Penny For Your Thoughts” is a strutting work of direct guitar rock propelled by the soaring backing vocals of Briana Lee and Maiya Sykes.
MMJ clearly let these songs meander down their own paths, erring on the side of more-is-better, even unsure how to wrap up two very different efforts. “Complex” is a raw, biting blazer with dynamite synth work that collapses inward to end while “Devil’s In The Details” is an odd meandering take on growing up in malls while being complicit in everything from slavery to Stranger Things battles to made up false Sephora faces, before the small jazz, sax infused effort to finish the over-long track.
Better results are found on “Never In The Real World” where James channels both Bob Dylan and Joey Ramone vocally around a never urgent, but majestic arena-ready number. “Least Expected” just may be the best outing here as the effervescent keyboard lead, environmentally conscious lyrics, and weepy 70’s rock guitars deliver a cool, slick vibe.
The extended “I Never Could Get Enough” ends the record in pretty fashion as My Morning Jacket confidently reunites, allowing the music to take the band where it wants to go on this self-titled effort.
Photo by Austin Nelson
