this is, "consistent, well-structured, and satisfying in a way the original was not". Tyler Clark of Consequence of Sound praised the musicianship of the album but criticized the relative lack of experimentation from the first volume; he recommends it particularly as summer escapism during the difficulties of quarantine in the COVID-19 pandemic. In American Songwriter, Hal Horowitz gave the release four out of five stars, noting continuity in the mood of this album and its predecessor, with attention given to the interplay of James' introspective lyrics with the upbeat music that accompanies it; he ends his review stating, "the set may not be quite as impressive or cohesive as its Grammy nominated predecessor, but it’s not far behind it". In Our Culture Mag, Konstantinos Pappis gave the album three out of five stars, finding the album "unexpectedly prescient", with strong lyrics and "much-needed escapism" that suffers from "more of the same" that "fails to replicate [My Morning Jacket]'s most transcendent moments". Stephen M. Deusner of Pitchfork gave the release a 7.2 out of 10, echoing other reviewers' perspective that the timing of the release is relevant and he highlights James' vocals and the quality of his lyrics. Mark Richardson of The Wall Street Journal considers this a "mostly serene and reflective record" that focuses on "longing, memory, and spiritual healing" that speaks to James' strengths as a vocalist and considers this album "a remarkably cohesive set that never feels like a collection of leftovers, an album just as good as its predecessor that complements its tone". Calum Slingerland of Exclaim! gave the album a seven out of 10, ending, "Much of this material would be hard pressed to directly sweep anything off The Waterfall in its wake, but... The WaterfallII is enjoyable closure to those who will soon turn to anticipate the next new album My Morning Jacket have on deck". Jim Scott of Under the Radar gave the album eight out of 10 stars, with special attention to the vocals and how this album fits into the band's musical evolution. Rolling Stone included this release as one of the 18 picks for the month of September 2020. Track listing "Spinning My Wheels"– 4:48 "Still Thinkin’"– 4:14 "Climbing the Ladder"– 3:00 "Feel You"– 6:14 "Beautiful Love (Wasn’t Enough)"– 2:52 "Magic Bullet"– 5:12 "Run It"– 4:37 "Wasted"– 6:06 "Welcome Home"– 3:46 "The First Time"– 5:46 PersonnelMy Morning JacketTom Blankenship – bass