By Lane Lannan

My Morning Jacket, the Louisville-based rock band led by frontman Jim James, returned with their tenth studio album Is, released on March 21, 2025. After over two decades of experimentation, reinvention and genre-hopping, Is presents a more focused and streamlined version of the band.

Is is not a complete departure from the elements and themes that made My Morning Jacket popular originally. The album still possesses some of those elements, while making space for a new level of polish and cohesion.

One of the most notable aspects of Is is that it’s the first time the band has worked with an outside producer. Brendan O’Brien, a veteran producer known for his work with artists like Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam and Rage Against the Machine. O’Brien brings a newer, crisp sensibility to the album. The production feels very deliberate, reigning in some of the band’s more improvisational instincts without sacrificing their signature sound.

The album opens with “Out In The Open,” a multifaceted track that sets the tone for what’s to come. The song begins very simply with Jim James’ classic vocals, slowly increasing in energy as the song progresses. 

There’s a clarity to the songwriting here that is consistent throughout the record. Where past My Morning Jacket albums might have stretched songs past the seven-minute mark in psychedelic explorations or ambient outros, Is keeps things mostly compact, with each song delivering its message without a long runtime.

Tracks like “Everyday Magic” and “Time Waited” are prime examples of this newly sharpened approach. The former is built around a steady rhythm and sing-along chorus that echoes Tom Petty at his most anthemic, while the latter features bright, almost spring-like, instrumentation that puts the listener in a good mood. 

There’s an unmistakable warmth to these songs, which was a pleasant surprise for me. I have listened to some My Morning Jacket songs before, but they never really stuck with me. With this album, the brightness and warmth present across the album were very appealing, especially on the sunny day that I did my first listen of the album. 

Moving back into specifical songs, “Squid Ink” is one of the biggest standout tracks on the album for me. It leans into the band’s blues-rock influences with a grooving, somewhat swampy energy. It’s darker and more rhythm-driven than the rest of the record, with a touch of menace beneath the surface. Brendan O’Brien’s production brings out the clarity in each instrument here, especially the interplay between the rhythm guitar and bass, giving the song a propulsive engine that keeps it moving. 

Another track, “Die For It,” ventures into psychedelic territory with swirling guitar effects and layered vocals. It’s perhaps the closest the band gets to their more experimental roots on this album, yet even here, the arrangement remains tightly controlled. The song almost envelopes the listener, especially at the end, in a curtain of sound. 

The album finishes off with “River Road,” which felt like a very fitting conclusion. It is more moody than most of the other tracks on the album, and it brings the various themes on the album to a nice conclusion. It is peaceful and accepting, which I quite enjoy for a closing song.

Lyrically, the album avoids cynicism, leaning into themes of connection, transcendence and peace. Even when the music veers into heavier territory, there’s a gentleness at the core of these songs. James’ vocals remain as distinctive as ever. They are ethereal, emotive and layered with just the right amount of echo to give them a sense of mysticism. His performance across the album is consistent and heartfelt, adding emotional depth to even the more straightforward rock numbers.

What Is may lack in experimentation, it makes up for in focus. It feels like a conscious choice to hone in on what works, to write songs that connect, to play as a unit rather than as individuals. The result is an album that may not push boundaries but instead solidifies My Morning Jacket’s place as seasoned veterans with plenty still to say.

In the end, Is might not be the album that redefines My Morning Jacket, but it certainly reinforces why they’ve endured for so long. It’s a warm, approachable, and satisfying listen. 

For any fans of The Beach Boys, I strongly recommend this release. While I did not explicitly mention it throughout the course of this review, the brightness and the harmonies in various songs remind me of The Beach Boys sound, just through a My Morning Jacket filter. 

From start to finish, there is a lot to love, and I found myself adding several songs to my playlists after my first listen. Is is available now for purchase on My Morning Jacket’s website.

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