My Morning Jacket: The Waterfall ll Review

My+Morning+Jacket%3A+The+Waterfall+ll+Review

John Kowalski, Royal Banner Editor-In-Chief

My Morning Jacket is a rock band originating in Louisville, Kentucky that was formed in 1998. They have released 14 albums with The Waterfall 2 being their most recent release. Today I will be reviewing this album and the 10 songs on it.

 

Spinning My Wheels starts off slow and melancholic. This tone changes and transforms into a chill, almost Fleet Foxes sound. This song is a great introduction to the album, as it sets the stage for what’s to come.

 

Still Thinkin begins as an unimpressive, bland track. However this first impression changes over the course of the song as it grows on itself and suddenly changes pace, with a new, slower tempo. The vibes become more eerie, creating a beautiful sound. 

 

Climbing The Ladder is upbeat with its instrumentation giving a carefree intro. This feeling finds its way through the entire song, with a final guitar solo to cap it all off. 

 

Feel You is otherworldly. The sounds of the instruments playing off each other, combined with deep, echoing voices make for a wonderfully strange track. Halfway through the song a short pause occurs, allowing the listener to reflect on the beauty of the piece. Furthermore, the sound emanating off of the track, along with the almost dreamy vibes it gives off, make it absolutely perfect for a road trip through the Great Basin at night. With nobody around, this can truly make for an astounding experience to hear, and absolutely cements itself as a great classic.

 

Beautiful Love (Wasn’t Enough) is a decent track. It doesn’t really offer anything nearly as powerful as its previous counterparts, but nevertheless is still a good song. 

 

Magic Bullet is a darker song compared to previous ones on the album. Instead of having a (mostly) upbeat sound this track has a grittier tone that makes for a great change of pace compared to previous songs. 

 

Run It is much more chill and laid back compared to other songs. This track has a piano solo, which is interesting, but other than that the piece doesn’t really offer anything new to the listener. This being said, it’s a good track, and worth a listen to.

 

Wasted is a track that starts off okay, with a decent guitar riff and good vocals. However, at about the 2:17 mark in the song, everything changes. New sounds are added onto the piece, and it transforms into an incredible jam, with guitar solos, brass solos, and piano solos, making the middle section of this piece amazing. From there, the band gives everything they have into the song, dumping all of their talent into one final effort. This makes the track another classic, as it astounds the listener with it’s sudden transformations and changes. 

 

Welcome Home immediately goes back to the chill vibes found in the first few pieces of the album. This is a nice break from the fast paced eagerness of Wasted, and makes this another track perfect for driving along huge mountain landscapes.

 

The First Time parallels the first track on the album, starting off slowly and becoming more complex as it progresses. Then, in the middle of the song, there is a pause, followed by gorgeous vocals and spectacular instrumentation. This is a wonderful song, and is a perfect conclusion to The Waterfall 2.

 

Final Thoughts

I find that this album is beautifully put together, having tight instrumentation, beautiful vocals, and an overall great tone throughout its 46 minute runtime. This combination of factors makes this album a 10/10, and definitely worth multiple listens to truly hear its beauty.Â