The latest episode of rock journalist Steven Hyden’s Celebration Rock podcast features an interview with Jim James. Hyden talks about a number of topics over the course of his chat with Jim James including what lies ahead for My Morning Jacket.

Jim James and Steven Hyden spend time discussing the process that led to James’ forthcoming solo album Uniform Distortion. The Louisville native also explains his “everything happens for a reason” worldview and reveals he recently went on a “silent retreat” to disconnect from the world for a week. Jim feels he has a “really hard time with normalcy” after spending so much time in his life on tour. He went a week without talking, without watching television and just enjoyed being alive at the “silent retreat.”


The last portion of the chat focuses on My Morning Jacket. James reaffirms the band did record a second album when they laid down 2015’s The Waterfall. MMJ also has a live album that needs to be finished. Furthermore, Jim James mentions 2019 will be the 20th anniversary of the release of My Morning Jacket’s debut studio album The Tennessee Fire. “We’re trying to find stuff from around that time that hasn’t been released and release that for the 20th anniversary,” James tells Hyden.

Listen to Jim James’ appearance on Celebration Rock: