My Morning Jacket released their first album in six years, “My Morning Jacket”. This self-titled album was extremely anticipated due to the success of their last album, “Z”, a commercial success that catapulted them into the indie rock scene alongside other acts like ‘Band of Horses’ and ‘The Flaming Lips’.

This Kentucky rock band managed to return to their sounds flawlessly by remaining both authentic and experimental.

The first track, “Regularly Scheduled Programming” is a soft tune that starts with a folk sound that slowly turns into a rock song. With lyrics about feeling burned out, and ‘programming to drown out how we feel’, this song encapsulates the essence of feeling like you are going on autopilot, while life goes by.

This opening song was one of the singles released before the album and a smart way to start the album.

Followed by a tender and synth-pop ballad, “Love, Love, Love”, My Morning Jacket shows their versatility with their harmonies and use of synthesizers while singing about the simplicity of love.

The deep and rich voice of the main singer Jim James delivers its third track, “In Color”. He uses his voice as an instrument, with falsettos and vibrato, giving the album a more traditional soft-rock sound with the presence of a powerful guitar solo at the end of the song.

The blend of different genres, textures and voices makes the first part of this album extremely enjoyable and versatile, pleasing old and new My Morning Jacket fans.

“The Devil’s In The Details” is one of the most impressive tracks in this album, with complex lyrics about growing up while keeping the innocence of your inner child. The initial raspy vocals in this track resemble the likes of Bob Dylan and Nick Drake, with a folk, soft touch and simplistic instrumentals.

This song focuses on its lyrics, as you can hear how the lead singer, Jim James, narrates this story, a special touch that differentiates this powerful song from the rest of the album.

The first half of the album is just as strong, with songs like ‘Lucky To Be Alive’, a tune that initially sounds joyful with simplistic lyrics about forgetting about troubles and focusing on the good in life.

The other half of the song makes an unexpected turn, with a guitar solo that explodes into a phenomenal instrumental breakdown. Another song that follows that same pattern is “Out of Range, Pt.2”, with an initial guitar arpeggio that sounds from Radiohead’s “In Rainbows” and finishes with a strong instrumentation with harmonies.

The closing song “I Never Could Get Enough” is a tender and heart-warming ballad that encapsulates the fusion of genres that My Morning Jacket incorporated into this album. With the presence of Spanish guitars, even more synthesizers and lyrics about not getting tired of spending time with the person you love, this ending track is both enjoyable and nicely executed.

My Morning Jacket delivered the unexpected: a concise, beautiful album with both profound lyrics and complex instrumentation. Those six years fans had to wait paid off, as this album is one of the best of the band.

Rating: 9/10

Reviewer’s Favorite Song: “The Devil’s In The Details”.
Reviewer’s Least Favorite Song: “Regularly Scheduled Programming”.

Fernanda Lopez is a freshman majoring in telecommunications. To contact her, email lfl5339@psu.edu