The Waterfall II

[Stevie]

Instrumentally TTF on album isnt super impressive but the song writing is wonderful.  Truth be told, though, i didnt listen to it much til i heard some of the songs live.  I think a lot of people have a delayed appreciation for that album.

[Nikkogino]

Since we are doing this:
At Dawn
It Still Moves
Z
The Tennessee Fire
Waterfall 2
Waterfall 1
Evil Urges
Circuital

[Lucius]

Instrumentally TTF on album isnt super impressive but the song writing is wonderful.  Truth be told, though, i didnt listen to it much til i heard some of the songs live.  I think a lot of people have a delayed appreciation for that album.

I can listen to Heartbreakin Man and The Bear but the rest I go with live versions. It is a solid set of songs. I don't think it would happen but I'd happily get in line for a re-recorded version. The same with some songs from At Dawn (mostly Phone as I just can't be bothered with the studio version when this also exists: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYtFwe858j8 )

[Cameron]

Ok. I'll go.

ISM
At Dawn
Z
TTF
EU
Circuital
W2
W1

[Brother Beck]

Z is my favorite MMJ album, but even with that one I have always skipped "Into The Woods". 

Tennessee Fire, At Dawn & It Still moves I don't skip any tracks.  They are all incredible front to back. 

Evil Urges has a couple songs that I actively cannot stand, a couple songs that sound like weak filler to me, and then a handful of all-time greats. 

I suppose this description kinda works for Circuital for me as well, although I feel like I enjoy Circuital a lot more than most people seem to.  Full disclosure though: I played around with the tracklist and made a playlist out of Circuital tracks, ditched a few, added a few tracks from that time period, and made a tweak to the running order of the songs. 

I've struggled with The Waterfall ever since it came out five years ago.  There are songs that I loved right off the bat - like "Tropics (Erase Traces)" - but then there are several songs that I just do not connect with at all.  And then there were a couple songs that I could not enjoy until I heard them played live.  MMJ songs to me are always magical when played live and usually seem superior to their album counterparts if I'm being honest, but songs like "Compound Fracture" & "Only Memories Remain" have always felt to me like they are only about 80% done on the album and weren't really finished until played live.  Still though, I've probably listened to the Waterfall hundreds of times by now and have found much enjoyment out of it. 

The Waterfall II clicked for me on play #2 and I love the entire album front-to-back.

[Stevie]

You have to go with a tier system for this:

Tier 1: Crème de la crème

It Still Moves
Z
At Dawn

Three incredibly distinct albums, each representing the very best of what Jacket does across three different dimensions.  It Still Moves has to be number 1, though.  It's the lifeblood.  Sure, Z is an incredible production.  Yes, they did some things that no one saw coming and executed them to near perfection.  And Dondonte is about as good as it gets.  But the heart and soul of the band, to me, was born with It Still Moves.  They took all the raw emotion of At Dawn and heaped it into the fuel furnace of an electric guitar driven locomotive, blasting down the rails, sublimating pain, misery, and sadness into speed until everything just explodes into a beautiful rain of triumph and ecstasy.

Tier 2:  Uncut Gem

The Tennessee Fire

What were you doing around the age of 19?  Jim graduated high school and said, "I'm just going to write the following songs:"

Heartbreakin Man
They Ran
The Bear
Nashville to Kentucky
Old September Blues
If All Else Fails
It's about Twilight Now
Evelyn is Not Real
War Begun
Picture of You
I Will Be There When You Die
The Dark
By My Car
Butch Cassidy
I Think I'm Going to Hell

While the recording quality was far from ideal, and while none of these songs had been developed anywhere near their full potential (as we would later see in the live realm), it's a stunning collection of songs, especially for someone that young.  The recording quality and the fact that it's not a cohesive concept album like the others prevent it from being in the top tier but it's just as important to the future of the band as It Still Moves was. 

Tier 3:  Pretty...Pretty...Pretty Good

Evil Urges:  An extremely well crafted album with lots of high points.
The Waterfall 2:  See lengthy review above
The Waterfall 1:  Still a fan of the album, haven't really gone back to it in a couple of years.  It's much more cohesive a grouping than Waterfall 2, and it is certainly more guitar driven, but i dont think it quite touches that transcendent space of pure bliss like W2 sometimes achieves. 

Tier 4:  The Cheese Stands Alone

Circuital:  Im not going to trash an album that some of you, somehow, apparently like, so i'll just say this:  They made two songs that absolutely kill live (Victory Dance and Slow Slow Tune) and i'll always be thankful for that.  If I never hear the rest of the album again i'll be okay with that.

[walterfredo]

At Dawn
It Still Moves
The Tennessee Fire
Z
Evil Urges
Waterfall 2
Circuital
Waterfall 1
 

[silentjay]

Evil Urges
It Still Moves
Z
At Dawn
The Tennessee Fire
The Waterfall II
The Waterfall
Circuital

Like some others have already said, TTF might be the best collection of songs they've put together, but the studio versions are incredibly lacking (At Dawn has the same problem, to a lesser extent). It could be interesting if they did a full-album "cover" of TTF and re-recorded/re-imagined the songs with the current lineup.

It's vindicating to see I'm not alone in my distaste for Circuital. Circuital the song is the only real highlight for me, the rest teeters between boring (Victory Dance) and obnoxious (Holdin On To Black Metal). Although I will admit that First Light and Outta My System have grown on me live.

[dookie shoot bandit]

I seriously enjoy the variety of opinions and discussions all their albums bring to this forum.
It's crazy how the years have changed though. The first four albums would always lay on top in rearranging orders and then it was just everything else they have done.
I just never thought in a million years I would have to fight for the fact of The Tennessee Fire vs The Waterfall.
I value all opinions on music and to each their own has never made more sense.

For argument sake, I will play along...

1- Z = Love Love Love this album. Would easily be in my top favorites of all time, by any band. Love the mega balls they had to swing and hit a home run, especially after such a masterpiece that is ISM
2- At Dawn = today I'm feeling this as #2
3- ISM = tomorrow can easily by #2 depending on mood
4- TTF = solid 4 spot for me but still far away from going to #5
5- EU
6- W2 = still has potential to jump to #5
7- Circuital
8- W1 = clear bottom for me. Scares me that if I heard this album first, I'm not sure if I would have dove into their back catalog and found the countless amounts of other magic they have created.

[hoojack]

These lists are always fun.  Its so subjective and a lot of it depends on what era you discovered the band.  I will buy anything they put out and have found something in every album that resonates with me as it seems that my life any perspective have grown with the band.  I will say at this point I really only go into each album hoping there are a few songs that can become live classics.

1. Okonokos - I know this doesn't really count but this album really encapsulates everything that we all love about the band.  It's also the album that made things click.  Everything that came before and since has really only clicked after hearing it in a live setting.

2. Z - This was the album out when I discovered them (via okonokos) and will probably always be number 1 as these were the songs that hooked me.

3. ISM - I don't have much new to add.  This is the album where MMJ became MMJ imo.

4. At Dawn - a perfect mix of the rawness onTTF with a glimpses of the focus we began to see with ISM.

5. TTF - I was never a huge fan of the production but everything clicked after I downloaded the one big holiday shows.  The live versions, especially with the talent of the current lineup, brought me the grownup versions of these songs and allowed me to appreciate the undeveloped artistry of a young Jim.

6/7 - WF 1 and 2.  I have a hard time separating the two and can't form a full opinion of 2 yet.  There are some songs that I don't care for (big decisions, believe, first time) but the themes really resonate with me. I also like magic bullet ok but something about it seems out of place.

8. EU - there are some live classics. The title track will always take me back to 2008 and bonnaroo specifically. I'm amazed has grown on me but the stretch between thank you too and remnants doesn't really do much for me.

9. Circuital -  VD is great.  Circuital, Slow Slow Tune, and Moving Away are good songs and black metal is fun but I really don't like the rest of the album.  It falls below EU bc I prefer the live staples of EU more.

[MMJCOBRA]

Since we are doing this:
At Dawn
It Still Moves
Z
The Tennessee Fire
Waterfall 2
Waterfall 1
Evil Urges
Circuital

Im definitely NOT doing this yet!!  :)

Way too early and takes away from my in the moment enjoyment and discussion of this incredible new album!  I am loving it!!!

Great stuff, top to bottom.  Current rankings subject to change!!

1. Feel You
2. Run it
3. Wasted
4. Still Thinkin
5. Magic Bullet
6. Climbing the Ladder
7. The First Time
8. Spinning My Wheels
9. Welcome Home
10. Beautiful Love (wasn't enough)

Really into the top nine on my list. The top four is fluid, as are spots five through nine. I mean, I absolutely ADORE spinning my wheels!! Beautiful Love still hasn't clicked for me.

I hope they release the rest of the Waterfall recordings some day. Although I doubt that will happen because I suspect some songs were used for various solo projects. Still, I'd like to hear the MMJ takes.

[Lucius]

Wasn't Throwback originally from The Waterfall sessions, too?

[Brother Beck]

The live version of "Friends Again" from the 7" vinyl they put out and the song "Ready To Be Called On" from the Dallas Buyers Club soundtrack (???) both should have been on Circuital and would have made it a much stronger album. 

Wasn't Throwback originally from The Waterfall sessions, too?

I can't lie, I was bummed when the tracklist for Waterfall II was announced and there was no sign of "Throwback" on there.  Now that the album is out, I'd say Part II is great as is, but I still would love to get my hands on a full band MMJ version of "Throwback". 

[dookie shoot bandit]

The live version of "Friends Again" from the 7" vinyl they put out and the song "Ready To Be Called On" from the Dallas Buyers Club soundtrack (???) both should have been on Circuital and would have made it a much stronger album. 

Wasn't Throwback originally from The Waterfall sessions, too?

I can't lie, I was bummed when the tracklist for Waterfall II was announced and there was no sign of "Throwback" on there.  Now that the album is out, I'd say Part II is great as is, but I still would love to get my hands on a full band MMJ version of "Throwback". 

Ohhh the mystery!!!
Friends Again not on Circuital?
How Could I Know (Oxen) not on Z?

2 of my favorites considered B Sides and left to be White Whales!!

[Stevie]

The live version of "Friends Again" from the 7" vinyl they put out and the song "Ready To Be Called On" from the Dallas Buyers Club soundtrack (???) both should have been on Circuital and would have made it a much stronger album. 

Wasn't Throwback originally from The Waterfall sessions, too?

I can't lie, I was bummed when the tracklist for Waterfall II was announced and there was no sign of "Throwback" on there.  Now that the album is out, I'd say Part II is great as is, but I still would love to get my hands on a full band MMJ version of "Throwback". 

I think the only

The live version of "Friends Again" from the 7" vinyl they put out and the song "Ready To Be Called On" from the Dallas Buyers Club soundtrack (???) both should have been on Circuital and would have made it a much stronger album. 

Wasn't Throwback originally from The Waterfall sessions, too?

I can't lie, I was bummed when the tracklist for Waterfall II was announced and there was no sign of "Throwback" on there.  Now that the album is out, I'd say Part II is great as is, but I still would love to get my hands on a full band MMJ version of "Throwback". 

I think the only thing that could have made Circuital worse is if "Ready to Be Called On" were on it.  That's a bottom 3 Jacket song all time for me.  Big fan of Friends Again, though.  I wish they would bust that out live once in a while it's really perfect for a show. 

[Come Closer]

Throwback was clearly toast when it appeared on UD and the version there really wasn't that much different than when they played it live imo.

[Brother Beck]

I love "Ready To Be Called On".  The song rips.  I probably like it better than about 5 of the songs that did make the album.

[WeeksByDays]

Anyone else hearing some Come Closer similarities on The First Time?

[Nikkogino]

Interesting choice to play one of the least accessible songs on the album.  They got balls!  Love this though...this was essentially a music video.  Damn it's exciting to see MMJ out there doing it again....can't wait til they can actually play together.

[Jbpats]

Interesting choice to play one of the least accessible songs on the album.  They got balls!  Love this though...this was essentially a music video.  Damn it's exciting to see MMJ out there doing it again....can't wait til they can actually play together.

Surprised this is the tune they decided to play, sounded really nice but far from my first choice of songs I wish they played.
Actually thought it was just the studio version recording until the ending. Clearly it was a different 'live' rendition