Jim James adds a ragged, ghostly edge to Burt Bacharach/Hal David’s “What the World Needs Now Is Love” with his cover of the pop ballad for the Spotify Singles series. The My Morning Jacket frontman croons over gentle acoustic guitar and the oceanic harmonies of Resistance Revival Chorus. During the a cappella climax, he ascends to a high, shaky falsetto – adding a mournful vibe to the 1965 hit.
“I look forward to the day when these songs are outdated and there is SO MUCH LOVE that we don’t need to sing that the world needs more of it, and we stop making the same mistakes over and over again!” James said in a statement. “But until then we will keep singing…trying to bring the love. It was such an honor to sing these songs with [Resistance Revival Chorus. Their power is undeniable, and it just lifted my spirit so high to hear their beautiful voices reach for the heavens, and I hope it lifts your spirit too.”
James paired “What the World Needs Now Is Love” with his own “Over and Over,” also featuring Resistance Revival Chorus.
The songwriter also announced Uniform Distortion/Clarity: Deluxe Edition, an expanded vinyl reissue of his 2018 solo LP, Uniform Distortion, and its acoustic companion record, Uniform Clarity. The set, which is limited to 1,000 individually numbered units, is out March 22nd, 2019 via ATO.
The deluxe edition features Uniform Distortion on a black-and-gold vinyl mix, with Uniform Clarity on a black-and-white vinyl mix. It also includes an autographed fold-out poster; two B-sides, the “Rock and Roll Versions” of “It Will Work Out” and “Flash in the Pan”; and an exclusive seven-inch single featuring four previously unreleased covers: John Lennon’s “How?”, the Flying Burrito Brothers’ “Hot Burrito #1,” Link Wray’s “Fallin’ Rain” and Dan Penn/Chips Moman’s “Dark End of the Street.”
James previously announced a string of live solo dates for 2019, including May slots at Shaky Knees Music Festival and Bluebird Music Festival. My Morning Jacket recently announced three shows for August, including a back-to-back stint at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado on August 2nd and 3rd.