My Morning Jacket have never been afraid of starting over. Their style has always been fluid and subject to subtle shifts, reflecting the circumstances of Jim James’ writing process and his influences, which have not always been the most comfortable of bedfellows. ‘The Waterfall’ is another twist in the tale and a record that, from its first burbling keys onwards, is closely tied with its title.
That title, James recently told Rolling Stone, is a “metaphor for how life is constantly beating you down”. But ‘The Waterfall’ takes that starting point and looks to the future. It’s about slates washed clean, personal growth and grudges dropped. The water motif is helpful like that. “Roll the dice, set sail the ship and all the doors will open on down the line,” runs Believe (Nobody Knows).
The arrangements are a further string to that particular bow. Here we find My Morning Jacket in an expansive, almost prog frame of mind. There are no sharp edges to be found, with the band instead opting for broad swathes of synth and picked guitars alongside the obligatory classic rock licks and alt-country harmonies.
From this mix emerges a record that, despite a couple of truly great songs, spends a little too much time in the middle of the road or pottering around the periphery.
It’s impossible not to be swept along by the rolling AOR of Compound Fracture or the rugged, supremely melodic Big Decisions, while Like A River neatly encapsulates its name with brisk, dancing guitars.
But in In Its Infancy or Tropics we see the other side of the piece. Here My Morning Jacket are less focused and happier to indulge themselves, with the net result being some lusty psych-jams that struggle to hold interest. By no means are they disasters, but they quite simply don’t pack the same punch as the record’s finest moments.
James’ thematic musings on life’s curveballs and how to negotiate them - bolstered by knowledge of the idyllic recording setting in Stinson Beach and his subsequent back problems - serve as an anchor to prevent any lasting damage, leaving My Morning Jacket with another record to thrill, soothe and, at times, frustrate.
My Morning Jacket Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Sun September 06 2015 - MANCHESTER Ritz
Tue September 08 2015 - LONDON O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire
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