The critical consensus at Album of the Year is a 74 out of 100 with 17 reviews. The weekend of
The WaterfallIIs release, several brief, positive reviews were posted online by outlets such as
The Oakland Press, calling it noteworthy; a recommendation by
The Kokomo Tribune;
Pitchfork, with reviewer Madison Bloom naming it one of six albums to listen to of the week; and
Billboard declaring it "the album that will sound great at music festivals in 2021 (and beyond)".
Brooklyn Vegan's notable releases of the week included
The WaterfallII for its diverse blending of genres, the strength of James' vocals, and the band's willingness to experiment after over 20years of performing and recording.
Uproxx's Zac Gelfand named this one of the best new indie music releases of the week; that publication also featured a full review by
Steven Hyden that considers this superior to the original
Waterfall. The editorial staff of
AllMusic gave this album 3.5 out of five stars, with reviewer Mark Deming considering this superior to
The Waterfall, summing up his review by writing that 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==