Album of the Week: My Morning Jacket The Waterfall

At their best, My Morning Jacket is an intergalactic amalgamation of classic rock and gritty soul, with a dash of funk style and prog-rock delivery.

So, it's fitting the first sound you hear on the band's newest album, The Waterfall, is what sounds like a spaceship taking off on a cosmic journey. The Kentucky band has never been content being earthbound, and on this album they present perhaps the most balanced mix of their alt-rock twang and Prince-soul stylings.

First, a bit of reassuring news – Jim James still has the best voice in music today, and to quote Killer Mike from Run the Jewels, if you don't believe me, "thenmaggot fuck, then fight me." He is capable of growling like a bear that just woke up from hibernation, deep, grumbly and husky, and then he sends it into the stratosphere with some of the most alarmingly lovely high notes I've ever heard (as heard on Z's "Wordless Chorus").

James uses his voice as a subtle tool on The Waterfall, and while his signing lacks some of the adventurousness found on Evil Urges, it may well be his most consistent album (from a vocal standpoint) in years. "Spring (Among the Living)" gives James a chance to show almost his entire range in one song, and lets the rest of the band follow along on a future funk journey of rebirth.

Rebirth and rediscovery are the themes of the album, and for all the sonic adventures the band takes, it features some of James' most personal lyrics. Several of the songs focus on the ending of a relationship and growing apart from the person you once loved.

On "Thin Line" James sings about the "thin line between loving and wasting my time," and how loving someone doesn't mean you belong together. And then there's "Get the Point," one of the album's prettiest numbers. It's also their version of Bob Dylan's funniest (and meanest) break-up songs, and is just beautiful in its simplicity.

This is the first time I've heard a string section on an MMJ album, and its use on the aforementioned "Thin Line" and "Get the Point" add some lovely flourishes. The strings are put to best use on closer "Only Memories Remain," which lets James do his sweet soul thing to draw the album to the close. It's easily their best closing song to date, and is easily one of the band's loveliest works.

The Waterfall features some of the bands catchiest songs since It Still Moves, and the group has become incredibly skilled at creating hooks that may not hit you over the head, but still manage to be subtly ingratiating, especially upon repeat listens. To wit, it's easy to see why "Big Decisions" was selected as the lead single off the album – it perfectly distills everything the band has learned about being "radio friendly" while remaining undeniably themselves. My Morning Jacket seems incapable of jettisoning who they are for a wider audience (praise be!) and we should all be grateful for it.

James and company have never been hesitant about wearing their influences on their sleeves, and they continue the trend here – there are the touches of Dylan (of course), bits of Neil Young in the southern stylings, Jimmy Page guitar-work, a bit of The Doors on the synths and keys, and of course Prince in James' voice. One of the highest compliments I can give them is while they've never hidden the musicians who've been influences, the way My Morning Jacket blends all these elements together creates a sound that is utterly original and exploratory.

There is a sense of exploration on The Waterfall that has me very excited about what My Morning Jacket has coming next. James has said in recent interviews that when the band got together they ended up with so much material that they basically recorded two albums, and the next one will be out early 2016, so we have that to look forward to. Until then, I'm more than happy to let the band carry me over the waterfall with this album – because as My Morning Jacket knows, the freefall leads to flight.

The Waterfall is out on ATO.