My Morning Jacket Makes ‘Big Decisions’ In 2015

Marking MMJ’s seventh studio album, The Waterfall is due out May 4. The Louisville, Ky., quintet recorded the album at multiple locations, including Panoramic House, a studio that’s located in Stinson Beach, Calif., about a half hour north of the Golden Gate Bridge. You can’t beat the view of the studio perched on a hillside, which overlooks the Pacific Ocean.

“For me, every record has the spirit of where we made it,” James said. “Stinson Beach was so psychedelic and focused. It was almost like we lived on our own little moon out there. It feels like you’re up in the sky.”

The Waterfall should please both old and new fans of MMJ, as the 10-track album is described as featuring the experimentation found in 2004’s Z, 2008’s Evil Urges and James’ 2013 solo album, as well as moments that harken back to 2001’s At Dawn and 2003’s It Still Moves. The band’s PR rep says that another way to put it is that the album “sounds like nothing else but also warmly familiar.”

James says, “That’s kind of the sound of this record, and my life, the sound of the page turning and not being sure what’s coming next.”

Drummer Patrick Hallahan added, “The freedom we went into this record with took a lot of the pressure off, as far as what to do and how to do it. The mantra was anything goes, no stone unturned, it’ll be done when it’s done.”

Pre-orders for The Waterfall are ongoing now and include an instant download of the single “Big Decisions.” Check out the tune below, followed by the 2015 routing.

May 15 – Athens, Ga., Georgia Theatre        
May 16 – Knoxville, Tenn., Tennessee Theatre         
May 17 – Gulf Shores, Ala., Gulf Shores Public Beach (The Hangout Beach, Music & Arts Fest.)
May 23 – Boston, Mass., City Hall Plaza (Boston Calling)  
June 3 – Cleveland, Ohio, State Theatre       
June 4 – Pittsburgh, Pa., Stage AE   
June 5 – New York, N.Y., Randall’s Island (Governors Ball Music Festival)          
June 7 – Toronto, Ontario, Historic Fort York (Field Trip Music & Arts Festival)
June 9 – Chicago, Ill., Chicago Theatre
June 10 – Chicago, Ill., Chicago Theatre
June 11 – Chicago, Ill., Chicago Theatre
June 16 – Detroit, Mich., The Fillmore Detroit
June 17 – Detroit, MI The Fillmore Detroit  
June 19 – Waverly, Iowa, Wartburg College (Gentlemen Of The Road Stopovers)
June 20 – Milwaukee, Wis., Riverside Theatre          
June 23 – Columbus, Ohio, Palace Theatre   
June 24 – Columbus, Ohio, Palace Theatre   
June 26 – Minneapolis, Minn., Northrop Auditorium           
June 27 – Minneapolis, Minn., Northrop Auditorium
July 21 – Charlottesville, Va., Ntelos Wireless Pavilion       
July 22 – Lewiston, N.Y., Artpark Mainstage Theater          
July 26 – Columbia, Md., Merriweather Post Pavilion
July 28 – Raleigh, N.C., Red Hat Amphitheater       
July 29 – Charlotte, N.C., Uptown Amphitheatre At The NC Music Factory          
July 31 – New Orleans, La., Champions Square       
Aug. 1 – Saint Augustine, Fla., St. Augustine Amphitheatre
Aug. 3 – Miami Beach, Fla., Fillmore Miami Beach At Jackie Gleason Theater      
Aug. 4 – Orlando, Fla., Hard Rock Cafe / Hard Rock Live
Aug. 7 – Atlanta, Ga., Fox Theatre   
Aug. 8 – Atlanta, Ga., Fox Theatre   
Aug. 10 – Birmingham, Ala., Concert Hall At The BJCC    
Aug. 12 – St. Louis, Mo., Peabody Opera House     
Aug. 13 – Kansas City, Mo., Starlight Theatre         
Aug. 14 – Morrison, Colo., Red Rocks Amphitheatre          
Sept. 1 – Antwerp, Belgium, Openluchttheater (Rivierenhof)
Sept. 2 – Cologne, Germany, Gloria  
Sept. 4 – Stradbally, Ireland, Stradbally Hall Estate (Electric Picnic)          
Sept. 5 – Salisbury, England, Larmer Tree Gardens (End Of The Road Festival)
Sept. 6 – Manchester, England, The Ritz      
Sept. 8 – London, England, O2 Shepherds Bush Empire     
Sept. 10 – Amsterdam, Netherlands, Paradiso          
Sept. 12 – Groningen, Netherlands, De Oosterpoort (Take Root Festival)
Sept. 13 – Berlin, Germany, Templehof Airport (Lollapalooza Berlin)

MMJ also has a few more festival appearances lined up at events which have not yet released their daily schedules. Look for the band at Bonnaroo in Manchester, Tenn.; Forecastle in Louisville; and Rock en Seine in Paris.

A fan club presale begins March 9, followed by the general public onsale March 13. Visit MyMorningJacket.com for more information.