Music Review: My Morning Jacket's 10th album 'is' a joy for fans and newbies alike
My Morning Jacket likes to hide some of its best music behind unassuming titles.
Twenty years ago, the Louisville-based jam-infused rock band led by Jim James released 'Z,' one of its most heralded records. And now comes 'is," their 10th full-length record.
So, is 'is' any good?
Yes, 'is' is.
Nearing their third decade as a band, My Morning Jacket's veterancy shines on 'is." They continue to improve on their ability to write melodic and focused psychedelic rock songs.
And for that reason, seemingly every track on 'is' could be a single for the band, a highlight of their live set or a launching pad for improvisation on stage.
For 'is,' My Morning Jacket handed the producer duties over to Brendan O'Brien, who has worked with Phish, Bruce Springsteen and Pearl Jam — a rarity for a band that prefers to self-produce and has for nearly a decade.
It's paid off. O'Brien doesn't mess with the sound that My Morning Jacket fans love and expect. Instead, he seems to have focused the band in a way that allows them to deliver a unified, 10-song collection. The songs are meant to communicate 'a sense of presence in the now,' as James described the album titled in a press release.
'Hopefully those songs will be helpful to people and give them some kind of peace as they try to deal with the insanity of the world," James said. 'Because that's what music does for me.'
That happens at the jump. Opener 'Out in the Open' leads with a catchy guitar riff.
'I'm realizing what's at stake now," James sings. 'I can't pretend that I'm not scared / But I'll live while I'm still free.'
On the love song 'Everyday Magic,' James finds transcendence in the mundane. 'Everyday magic / A ripple in the fabric," he sings. "Of all space time / Oh you have it / In your heart.'
'Time Waited,' another love song, seems destined to become a standard for the band, with its easy-going melody and inventive sample of pedal steel giant Buddy Emmons' 'Blue Jade."
That song may find a place on the playlists at weddings of neohippies, especially those who connect a little later in life. The evidence is in its lyrics: 'We know real love takes forever / And the clock ticks faster every year / But time waited / For you and me,' James sings.
My Morning Jacket shifts the weirdness to a higher gear with 'Squid Ink,' a blues-y rocker with a propulsive beat. It is certain to come alive in front of audiences.
From the longtime fan to the newbie, 'is' delivers with familiar, elevated songs.
___
For more of reviews of recent releases, visit: https://apnews.com/hub/music-reviews
Scott Bauer, The Associated Press
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
42 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Colorado Parks and Wildlife denies Colorado Renaissance Festival elephant exhibit permit
(COLORADO) — The Colorado Renaissance Festival kicks off this upcoming weekend, Saturday, June 14, and it may be missing a show that has been on for years. In early June, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) denied a permit for the exhibition of elephants, which would affect the Trunk and Humps show at the Colorado Renaissance Festival. 'Denying this permit was both the legally correct and moral decision,' said DU law professor Justin Marceau, Director of the Animal Activist Legal Defense Project. 'Colorado has admirably outlawed the degrading, abusive use of elephants and other animals in cruel traveling circuses. These animals deserve to be treated with dignity, not dragged from city to city and forced to perform tricks for our entertainment.' According to the Colorado Renaissance Festival Vice President Jim Paradise, they became aware of the denial of the permit on Friday, June 6, and said they would be reaching out to the State on the matter. 'Various reports regarding the Renaissance Festival and its vendors regarding elephants at the site are misrepresentative and agenda-driven,' said Paradise. 'Since the passage of SB 21-135, in 2021, the Renaissance Festival has not offered elephant rides; footage used in a story published by CW2 pre-dates 2021, and that in and of itself is disappointing and falls far short of at least that media outlet's duty to the public. The Renaissance Festival is based around a 16th-century village with great entertainment, food, and fun; it offers a place for people to get away from the negativity that is generally pervasive in today's world.' A Colorado law signed in 2021 prohibited a person from causing the performance of animals such as whales, rhinos, and elephants in a traveling animal act. If a person violates SB21-135, they could be subject to a fine ranging from $250 to $1,000 per violation. 'Following a flurry of calls and emails from members of PETA and Compassion Works International, Colorado Parks and Wildlife has denied Texas-based exotic animal exhibitor Trunks and Humps, the festival's longtime elephant provider, a permit to display elephants within Colorado,' said PETA in a statement. CPW confirmed that the permit was denied. 'CPW is the agency that reviews applications for and, when appropriate, issues Temporary Exhibitors Licenses, a type of Commercial Wildlife Park License. Elephants fall under CPW's Commercial Wildlife Program, which refers to the use of captive wildlife for educational, commercial, or promotional purposes. The Trunks and Humps application for a Temporary Exhibitors License was denied by CPW because it did not meet the requirements,' said a spokesperson with CPW. Paradise added that permits were issued by the State between 2022-2024 after the passage of SB21-35. 'The Renaissance Festival has worked and continues to work with Trumps and Humps in its ongoing and successful efforts in educating people on the history, research, and care of elephants,' Paradise said. The Renaissance Festival begins on Saturday, June 14. The festival will run until Aug. 3 and will occur on Saturdays and Sundays only. 'The Renaissance Festival is based around a 16th-century village with great entertainment, food, and fun,' Paradise said. 'It offers a place for people to get away from the negativity that is generally pervasive in today's world.' As of June 9, the Trunks and Humps show is not listed on the Colorado Renaissance Festival website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
‘Stranger Things,' ‘The Goldbergs' actors spotted at Miss Vicky's in Liverpool
LIVERPOOL, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — A post-Sunday night dinner sweet treat had a little celebrity flair for those at a Liverpool ice cream shop. Gaten Matarazzo, known for 'Stranger Things,' Sean Giambrone, known for 'The Goldbergs,' Peyton Elizabeth Lee, known for 'Andi Mack,' and a few others were seen enjoying some ice cream on the rainy night at Vicky's Tasty Treats. The picture of the stars was posted to Vicky's Facebook page, with the caption:'Thank you, Gaten Matarazzo ( Dustin from Stranger Things), Sean Giambrone from the Goldbergs, and Peyton Elizabeth from Andi Mack for stopping by for a Tasty Treat .' Of the photographed crew, Matarazzo and Giambrone are the only two confirmed as cast members in a new Hulu comedy, which is being filmed at American High, a Liverpool-based production company. The movie is currently called 'The Untitled BriTANicK Pizza Movie' on IMDb. It is said to be about two students who face 'an unexpectedly epic journey when they must navigate two flights of stairs to retrieve their pizza delivery, turning a simple task into a surreal adventure.' Nick Kocher and Brian Mcelhaney — the pair who make up BriTANicK — are writing and directing the movie. A few weeks prior, Matarazzo and Giambrone were spotted at Dinosaur BBQ in downtown Syracuse. 'This is your sign to bring your crew to Dinosaur BBQ, you never know who you'll run into! We've fed a lot of amazing people over the years…this week, we added Dustin Henderson to the list!' the restaurant's social media post read in part. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
San Francisco Chronicle
2 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Today in History: June 16, Valentina Tereshkova becomes first woman in space
Today is Monday, June 16, the 167th day of 2025. There are 198 days left in the year. Today in history: On June 16, 1963, the world's first female space traveler, Valentina Tereshkova, 26, was launched into orbit by the Soviet Union aboard Vostok 6. Tereshkova spent 71 hours in flight, circling the Earth 48 times before returning safely. Also on this date: In 1858, accepting the Illinois Republican Party's nomination for the U.S. Senate, Abraham Lincoln said the issue of slavery in the United States had to be resolved, declaring, 'a house divided against itself cannot stand.' In 1903, the Ford Motor Company was incorporated in Detroit, Michigan. In 1976, thousands of Black students in Johannesburg's Soweto township demonstrated against the imposition of the Dutch-based Afrikaans language in schools; police opened fire on the students, killing at least 176 and as many as 700. In 1978, President Jimmy Carter and Panamanian leader Omar Torrijos signed the instruments of ratification for the Panama Canal treaties during a ceremony in Panama City. In 2015, real estate mogul Donald Trump launched his successful campaign for the presidency of the United States with a speech at Trump Tower in Manhattan. In 2016, Walt Disney Co. opened Shanghai Disneyland, its first theme park in mainland China. In 2022, witnesses testified to the Jan. 6 committee that Donald Trump's closest advisers viewed his last-ditch efforts to pressure Vice President Mike Pence to reject the tally of state electors and overturn the 2020 election as 'nuts,' 'crazy' and even likely to incite riots. Today's Birthdays: Author Joyce Carol Oates is 87. Country singer Billy 'Crash' Craddock is 86. R&B singer Eddie Levert is 83. Boxing Hall of Famer Roberto Durán is 74. Pop singer Gino Vannelli is 73. Actor Laurie Metcalf is 70. Rapper MC Ren is 56. Golfer Phil Mickelson is 55. Actor John Cho is 53. Actor Daniel Brühl is 47. Actor Missy Peregrym is 43. Singer Diana DeGarmo (TV: 'American Idol') is 38. NFL wide receiver Justin Jefferson is 26. Tennis player Bianca Andreescu is 25.
