Jim James Shares New Single ‘Throwback’

Jim James is set to release Uniform Distortion, his latest studio album, through ATO Records on June 29. The My Morning Jacket frontman has shared the “official art track” for the album’s single “Throwback.”

James wrote each of the 11-songs making up the follow-up to his 2016 solo release Eternally Even and last year’s covers collection Tribute 2. Co-producer Kevin Ratterman worked with James at La La Land Studio in Louisville where Uniform Distortion was recorded with drummer Dave Givan and Floating Action’s bassist Seth Kauffman. Also appearing on the album are guest backing vocalists Kathleen Grace, Jamie Drake and Leslie Stevens of Dear Lemon Trees.

James issued the below [unedited] statement regarding “Throwback”:

i wrote this song doing pretty much what you are probably doing right at this very second: scrolling thru social media. it struck me as SO wild- how, as you scroll back in time thru someone’s account you watch their face grow younger…but as you do this REAL TIME IS RUNNING OUT!!!! the clock is ticking…instead of doing good work or creating love or taking a walk in nature i am here STARING AT MY FUCKING PHONE!!!! ha ha ha. don’t get me wrong- social media is an amazing tool…but i think we should look at it more like a tool, like a hammer you pick up for a little while to do a job, and then you PUT IT DOWN. you don’t sit there and keep hammering away or else pretty soon your entire world would be destroyed and fall apart! and i feel like that is exactly what is happening right before our very eyes to this precious real beautiful human-filled earth. so lets WAKE EACH OTHER UP PEOPLE! lets stand up against injustice and use this tool of social media to fight for peace and love and equality! let’s throwback for a minute but try and live in the NOW for a better future. thanks for listening.

The cover art for Uniform Distortion is a 1968 work by Duane Michaels entitled The Illuminated Man that James discovered in a 1971 edition of The Last Whole Earth Catalog. Watch the official art track for “Throwback” below:

Uniform Distortion Tracklist

1. Just A Fool
2. You Get To Rome
3. Out Of Time
4. Throwback
5. No Secrets
6. Yes To Everything
7. No Use Waiting
8. All In Your Head
9. Better Late Than Never
10. Over And Over
11. Too Good To Be True