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Is (My Morning Jacket album)

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Is
A blurry image of the members of My Morning Jacket with their hands on a black table.
Studio album by
My Morning Jacket
ReleasedMarch 21, 2025 (2025-03-21)
StudioHenson Recording Studios
GenreRock
Length39:01
LabelATO
ProducerBrendan O'Brien
My Morning Jacket chronology
My Morning Jacket
(2021) 		Is
(2025)
Singles from Is
  1. "Time Waited"
    Released: January 15, 2025[1]
  2. "Squid Ink"
    Released: February 11, 2025[2]
  3. "Half a Lifetime"
    Released: March 18, 2025[3]

Is (stylized is) is the tenth studio album by the American rock band My Morning Jacket. The album was recorded at Henson Recording Studios with the record producer Brendan O'Brien, and released on March 21, 2025, by ATO Records to critical acclaim.

Background and release

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Is, the tenth studio album of the American rock band My Morning Jacket, follows their 2021 self-produced eponymous record.[4] The band worked across two sessions to write the album, producing over 100 demo tracks.[5] The album was recorded at Henson Recording Studios, where the band worked with an outside producer, Brendan O'Brien, for the first time in its career.[4] The album was preceded by three singles: "Time Waited",[1] "Squid Ink",[2] and "Half a Lifetime", which the band began working on for its 2005 album Z.[3] ATO released the album on March 21, 2025.[6]

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.2/10[7]
Metacritic79/100[8]
Review scores
SourceRating
Mojo[6]
Pitchfork6.0/10[9]
PopMatters7/10[10]
Record Collector[4]
Rolling Stone[11]
Sputnikmusic3.3/5[12]
Uncut9/10[13]

According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Is received "generally favorable reviews" based on a weighted average score of 79 out of 100 from 10 critic scores.[8] Critics praised the album's production. Scott Bauer in the Associated Press wrote that the producer Brendan O'Brien helped to "focus the band" in creating a coherent record.[14] Likewise, Jon Dolan in Rolling Stone said that O'Brien produced "concise results", praising the album's "economy and texture" as well as its "restraint" on tracks like "I Can Hear Your Love", comparing James' vocals to Roy Orbison.[11] Record Collector and Tom Doyle in Mojo said that O'Brien's production helped to sharpen the band's sound.[4] In Uncut, Bud Scoppa said that "the unlikely collaboration has yielded the quintet's most vibrant album in two decades".[13] The pseudonymous staff reviewer Sunnyvale rated the album 3.3 out of 5 for Sputnikmusic, writing that while it provides a "steady diet of accessible pop rock", the band appeared to be "resting on laurels".[12]

Track listing

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All tracks are written by Jim James.

No.TitleLength
1."Out in the Open"4:11
2."Half a Lifetime"3:20
3."Everyday Magic"4:21
4."I Can Hear Your Love"3:05
5."Time Waited"3:39
6."Beginning from the Ending"4:59
7."Lemme Know"3:07
8."Squid Ink"3:19
9."Die for It"4:04
10."River Road"4:52
Total length:39:01

Personnel

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My Morning Jacket

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  • Jim James – vocals, guitar (all tracks); programming (tracks 1, 4, 6, 7)
  • Tom Blankenship – bass guitar (all tracks), guitar (track 3), background vocals (7, 8)
  • Patrick Hallahan – drums (all tracks), background vocals (track 7)
  • Bo Koster – keyboards (all tracks), background vocals (track 7)
  • Carl Broemel – guitar (all tracks), background vocals (tracks 2, 7)

Additional contributors

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Charts

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Chart performance for Is
Chart (2025) Peak
position
US Billboard 200[15] 111
US Top Album Sales (Billboard)[16] 6
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[17] 20
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[18] 19
US Top Rock & Alternative Albums (Billboard)[19] 24
Scottish Albums (OCC)[20] 41
UK Albums Sales (OCC)[21] 32
UK Americana Albums (OCC)[22] 9
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[23] 18

References

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  1. ^ a b Redfern, Mark (January 15, 2025). "My Morning Jacket announce new album, share video for new song 'Time Waited'". Under the Radar. Archived from the original on March 22, 2025. Retrieved March 22, 2025.
  2. ^ a b Redfern, Mark (February 11, 2025). "My Morning Jacket share video for new song 'Squid Ink'". Under the Radar. Archived from the original on March 22, 2025. Retrieved March 22, 2025.
  3. ^ a b Redfern, Mark (March 18, 2025). "My Morning Jacket share video for new song 'Half a Lifetime'". Under the Radar. Archived from the original on March 22, 2025. Retrieved March 22, 2025.
  4. ^ a b c d "Is: My Morning Jacket". Record Collector. No. 568. February 23, 2025. Archived from the original on March 22, 2025. Retrieved March 22, 2025.
  5. ^ Lemmon, Kyle (March 19, 2025). "My Morning Jacket, Is". Flood. Archived from the original on March 19, 2025. Retrieved March 22, 2025.
  6. ^ a b Doyle, Tom (March 20, 2025). "My Morning Jacket Is reviewed: Kentucky combo find new impetus on first album in four years". Mojo. Archived from the original on March 22, 2025. Retrieved March 22, 2025.
  7. ^ "My Morning Jacket – Is". AnyDecentMusic?. n.d. Retrieved May 5, 2025.
  8. ^ a b "Is by My Morning Jacket Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. n.d. Retrieved May 5, 2025.
  9. ^ Currin, Grayson Haver (March 27, 2025). "Is: My Morning Jacket". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on March 29, 2025. Retrieved March 29, 2025.
  10. ^ Cober-Lake, Justin (March 26, 2025). "My Morning Jacket carefully capture immediacy with Is". PopMatters. Archived from the original on March 26, 2025. Retrieved March 29, 2025.
  11. ^ a b Dolan, Jon (March 21, 2025). "My Morning Jacket's down-to-Earth reboot". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on March 21, 2025. Retrieved March 22, 2025.
  12. ^ a b Sunnyvale (March 22, 2025). "My Morning Jacket - Is". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved March 24, 2025.
  13. ^ a b Scoppa, Bud (April 2025). "My Morning Jacket: Is". New Albums. Uncut. No. Take 337. p. 35. ISSN 1368-0722.
  14. ^ Bauer, Scott (March 17, 2025). "Music review: My Morning Jacket's 10th album is a joy for fans and newbies alike". Associated Press. Archived from the original on March 17, 2025. Retrieved March 22, 2025.
  15. ^ "My Morning Jacket Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
  16. ^ "My Morning Jacket Chart History (Top Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
  17. ^ "My Morning Jacket Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
  18. ^ "My Morning Jacket Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
  19. ^ "My Morning Jacket Chart History (Top Rock & Alternative Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
  20. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 29, 2025.
  21. ^ "Official Albums Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
  22. ^ "Official Americana Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
  23. ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
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