My Morning Jacket
continue to push the boundaries of their multifaceted blend of rock, country, soul, and psychedelia on their seventh studio effort, 2015's
The Waterfall
. Primarily recorded at the Panoramic House studio in Stinson Beach, California, group leader
Jim James
told a reporter that the studio environment had a major impact on the music they played there; "Stinson Beach was so psychedelic and focused,"
James
said. "It was almost like we lived on our own little moon out there. It feels like you're up in the sky." Guitarist and singer
and his bandmates -- lead guitarist
Carl Broemel
, bassist
Tom Blankenship
, keyboard man
Bo Koster
, and drummer
Patrick Hallahan
-- went into the sessions with only rough demos, so that the group could allow songs and arrangements to flow spontaneously during recording, and the result was enough for material for two full albums, with
's follow-up already awaiting release in 2016.
's selections include "Big Decisions," "Like a River," "Spring (Among the Living)," "Get the Point," "Only Memories Remain," and five others. [A Deluxe Version added four bonus tracks.] ~ Mark Deming