The Waterfall II
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''The WaterfallII'' is the eighth studio album by American rock band
My Morning Jacket My Morning Jacket is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1998. The band consists of vocalist/guitarist Jim James, bassist Tom Blankenship, drummer Patrick Hallahan, guitarist Carl Broemel, and keyboardist Bo Kos ...
, released on July 10, 2020. Made up of recordings made in 2013 that also produced the 2015 release '' The Waterfall'', this
psychedelic pop Psychedelic pop (or acid pop) is a genre of pop music that contains musical characteristics associated with psychedelic music. Developing in the mid-to-late 1960s, elements included " trippy" features such as fuzz guitars, tape manipulation, ...
work has received positive reviews from critics.


Recording and release

The album is made up of outtake recordings from the band's 2015 release '' The Waterfall'', which vocalist
Jim James James Edward Olliges Jr. (born April 27, 1978), professionally known as Jim James or Yim Yames, is an American vocalist, guitarist, producer, and primary songwriter of the rock band My Morning Jacket. He has also released several solo albums. ...
reviewed during the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
. At the time, James mentioned that My Morning Jacket had enough material for a second album but the material was unrelated to ''The Waterfall''; he indicated that they would release the next album swiftly but they only put out occasional singles until 2020. James rediscovered the songs after listening to his own personal digital music player on shuffle when the track "Spinning My Wheels" came on. The band debuted the release via an online listening party on July 9, 2020; the digital edition was released the next day with physical editions slated for release on August 28. "Magic Bullet" was previously released as a single on July 11, 2016. "The First Time", which was featured on the '' Roadies'' soundtrack, was released as a single on July 15, 2016. "Welcome Home" has previously been performed live by the band and was recorded as part of their 2011 ''
iTunes Session ''iTunes Sessions'' are a series of live albums and extended plays (EP) recorded by various artists and released exclusively through the iTunes Store, and are a companion series to iTunes Originals. Notable EPs released as part of this promotion i ...
'' EP.


Critical reception

The critical consensus at Album of the Year is a 73 out of 100 with five reviews. The weekend of ''The WaterfallII''s release, several brief, positive reviews were posted online by outlets such as ''
The Oakland Press ''The Oakland Press'' is a daily newspaper published in Oakland County, Michigan with headquarters in Troy. It is owned by 21st Century Media, with which its parent company merged in 2013 after filing for bankruptcy. The local historical society ...
'', calling it noteworthy; a recommendation by ''
The Kokomo Tribune The ''Kokomo Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Kokomo, Indiana, United States. It is owned by CNHI. History The ''Kokomo Tribune'' can trace its history back to October 1850, when the weekly ''Howard Tribune'' was founded in Kokomo to c ...
''; ''
Pitchfork A pitchfork or hay fork is an agricultural tool used to pitch loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. It has a long handle and usually two to five thin tines designed to efficiently move such materials. The term is also applie ...
'', with reviewer Madison Bloom naming it one of six albums to listen to of the week; and ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
'' declaring it "the album that will sound great at music festivals in 2021 (and beyond)". ''
Brooklyn Vegan ''BrooklynVegan'' is an American online music magazine founded in 2004 by David Levine. The company is headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, and originally focused on vegan food and the music community in and around New York City, before broadeni ...
s notable releases of the week included ''The WaterfallII'' for its diverse blending of genres, the strength of James' vocals, and the band's willingness to experiment after over 20years of performing and recording.
Uproxx Uproxx Studios (stylized as ''UPROXX'') is an American music, entertainment and popular culture website and content studio. It was founded in 2008 by Jarret Myer and Brian Brater. The website was acquired in 2014 by Woven Digital (which later ...
's Zac Gelfand named this one of the best new indie music releases of the week; that publication also featured a full review by
Steven Hyden Steven Hyden (born September 7, 1977) is an American music critic, author, and podcast host. He is the author of the books ''Your Favorite Band Is Killing Me'' (2016, on rivalries in pop music history), ''Twilight of the Gods'' (2018, on the his ...
that considers this superior to the original ''Waterfall''. The editorial staff of
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
gave this album 3.5 out of five stars, with reviewer Mark Deming considering this superior to ''The Waterfall'', summing up his review by writing that this is, "consistent, well-structured, and satisfying in a way the original was not". Tyler Clark of ''
Consequence of Sound ''Consequence'' (previously ''Consequence of Sound'') is an independently owned New York-based online magazine featuring news, editorials, and reviews of music, movies, and television. History ''Consequence of Sound'' was founded in Septem ...
'' praised the musicianship of the album but criticized the relative lack of experimentation from the first volume; he recommends it particularly as summer
escapism Escapism is mental diversion from unpleasant aspects of daily life, typically through activities involving imagination or entertainment. Escapism also may be used to occupy one's self away from persistent feelings of depression or general s ...
during the difficulties of quarantine in the COVID-19 pandemic. In ''
American Songwriter ''American Songwriter'' is a bimonthly magazine covering songwriting. Established in 1984, it features interviews, songwriting tips, news, reviews and lyric contest. The magazine is based in Nashville, Tennessee. History The ''American Songwri ...
'', Hal Horowitz gave the release four out of five stars, noting continuity in the mood of this album and its predecessor, with attention given to the interplay of James' introspective lyrics with the upbeat music that accompanies it; he ends his review stating, "the set may not be quite as impressive or cohesive as its Grammy nominated predecessor, but it’s not far behind it". In ''
Our Culture Mag ''Our Culture Mag'' (stylised ourculture) is a British arts and culture online magazine launched in 2016 by Modestas Mankus, based in Cambridge, England. It covers film, fashion, music, art, photography and literature. History In 2016, Modesta ...
'', Konstantinos Pappis gave the album three out of five stars, finding the album "unexpectedly prescient", with strong lyrics and "much-needed escapism" that suffers from "more of the same" that "fails to replicate
y Morning Jacket Y, or y, is the twenty-fifth and penultimate letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. According to some authorities, it is the sixth (or seven ...
s most transcendent moments". Stephen M. Deusner of ''Pitchfork'' gave the release a 7.2 out of 10, echoing other reviewers' perspective that the timing of the release is relevant and he highlights James' vocals and the quality of his lyrics. Mark Richardson of ''
The Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' (''WSJ''), also referred to simply as the ''Journal,'' is an American newspaper based in New York City. The newspaper provides extensive coverage of news, especially business and finance. It operates on a subscriptio ...
'' considers this a "mostly serene and reflective record" that focuses on "longing, memory, and spiritual healing" that speaks to James' strengths as a vocalist and considers this album "a remarkably cohesive set that never feels like a collection of leftovers, an album just as good as its predecessor that complements its tone". Calum Slingerland of ''
Exclaim! ''Exclaim!'' is a Canadian music and entertainment publisher based in Toronto, which features coverage of new music across all genres with a special focus on Canadian and emerging artists. The monthly ''Exclaim!'' print magazine publishes seven ...
'' gave the album a seven out of 10, ending, "Much of this material would be hard pressed to directly sweep anything off ''The Waterfall'' in its wake, but... ''The WaterfallII'' is enjoyable closure to those who will soon turn to anticipate the next new album My Morning Jacket have on deck". Jim Scott of '' Under the Radar'' gave the album eight out of 10 stars, with special attention to the vocals and how this album fits into the band's musical evolution. ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...
'' included this release as one of the 18 picks for the month of September 2020.


Track listing

#"Spinning My Wheels"– 4:48 #"Still Thinkin’"– 4:14 #"Climbing the Ladder"– 3:00 #"Feel You"– 6:14 #"Beautiful Love (Wasn’t Enough)"– 2:52 #"Magic Bullet"– 5:12 #"Run It"– 4:37 #"Wasted"– 6:06 #"Welcome Home"– 3:46 #"The First Time"– 5:46


Personnel

My Morning Jacket *
Tom Blankenship My Morning Jacket is an American rock band formed in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1998. The band consists of vocalist/guitarist Jim James, bassist Tom Blankenship, drummer Patrick Hallahan, guitarist Carl Broemel, and keyboardist Bo Koster. The ba ...
– bass guitar *
Carl Broemel Carl Broemel (born January 30, 1974) is an American rock musician. He currently plays guitar, pedal steel guitar, saxophone and sings back-up vocals for the Louisville, Kentucky band My Morning Jacket. He played guitar in the pop/rock band Old Pik ...
– guitar, backing vocals * Patrick Hallahan – drums *
Jim James James Edward Olliges Jr. (born April 27, 1978), professionally known as Jim James or Yim Yames, is an American vocalist, guitarist, producer, and primary songwriter of the rock band My Morning Jacket. He has also released several solo albums. ...
– guitar, lead vocals, artwork,
production Production may refer to: Economics and business * Production (economics) * Production, the act of manufacturing goods * Production, in the outline of industrial organization, the act of making products (goods and services) * Production as a stat ...
*
Bo Koster Bo Koster (born August 22, 1974) is an American keyboardist and record producer. He is best known for his work as a member of the band My Morning Jacket and as a touring musician with Roger Waters and Ray LaMontagne. Early life Koster grew up ...
– keyboards, backing vocals Additional musicians *Anna Fritz – strings, backing vocals *
Brittany Howard Brittany Amber Howard (born October 2, 1988) is an American musician from Athens, Alabama. She rose to prominence in the early 2010s as the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and primary songwriter of Alabama Shakes. Her work with Alabama Shakes ...
– backing vocals *Kacey Johansing – backing vocals *Kyleen King – strings, backing vocals *Patti King – strings, backing vocals Technical personnel *Danny Cash – layout *
Danny Clinch Danny Clinch (born 1964) is an American photographer and film director. Early life and education Born in Toms River, New Jersey, Clinch graduated from Toms River High School East in 1982. After attending Ocean County College, he attended the New ...
– photography *Michael Finn –
engineering Engineering is the practice of using natural science, mathematics, and the engineering design process to Problem solving#Engineering, solve problems within technology, increase efficiency and productivity, and improve Systems engineering, s ...
*
Neil Krug Neil Krug is an American photographer. He has photographed Lana Del Rey, Tame Impala, and other musicians. Biography Krug grew up in Lawrence, Kansas. He was inspired by old films and television shows. A photo essay of his on Flickr became viral. T ...
– artwork *
Emily Lazar Emily B. Lazar is an American mastering engineer. She is the founder, president, and chief mastering engineer of The Lodge, an audio mastering facility that has operated in New York City's Greenwich Village since 1997. She won a Grammy Award for ...
mastering at The Lodge Recording Studio *Tucker Martine – recording, production,
mixing engineer A mixing engineer (or simply mix engineer) is responsible for combining ("mixing") different sonic elements of an auditory piece into a complete rendition (also known as "final mix" or "mixdown"), whether in music, film, or any other content of a ...
, recording *Kevin Ratterman – engineering


Charts


See also

*
List of 2020 albums The following is a list of albums, Extended play, EPs, and mixtapes released in 2020. These albums are (1) original, i.e. excluding reissues, remasters, and Compilation album, compilations of previously released recordings, and (2) WP:MUS, not ...


References


External links


Release announcementStream
of the album from
Stereogum ''Stereogum'' is a daily Internet publication that focuses on music news, reviews, interviews, and commentary. The site was created in January 2002 by Scott Lapatine. ''Stereogum'' was one of the first MP3 blogs and has received several awar ...
* *
James speaks with Kyle Meredith
{{DEFAULTSORT:Waterfall 2 2020 albums ATO Records albums Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the music industry My Morning Jacket albums Pop albums by American artists Psychedelic pop albums Surprise albums