My Morning Jacket has launched Peacelands, an acoustic protest album aimed at supporting communities affected by ICE actions, particularly in Minneapolis. The 14-track collection features stripped-down versions of band favorites and covers of classic songs, with all proceeds benefiting key humanitarian organizations.
My Morning Jacket announced the release of Peacelands on January 29, 2026, as a stand of solidarity with the people of Minneapolis and others impacted by what the band describes as ICE brutality and governmental lack of transparency. The album, available for streaming and purchase at $9.99 on Bandcamp, channels proceeds to the American Civil Liberties Union, Doctors Without Borders, and the International Rescue Committee.
Recorded at EastWest Studios' Studio Three in Hollywood, California, with producer Shawn Everett—who has worked with artists like Kacey Musgraves and The War on Drugs—the project showcases frontman Jim James performing acoustic renditions of My Morning Jacket tracks such as “I’m Amazed,” “State of the Art,” and “Here in Spirit,” alongside his solo song “In the Moment.” The collection also includes covers of protest anthems and peace-themed songs: Bob Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind,” Brian Wilson’s “Love and Mercy,” The Velvet Underground’s “I Found a Reason” (written by Lou Reed), Sonny Boy Williamson’s “Don’t Lose Your Eye,” and two by Timmy Thomas—“Why Can’t We Live Together” and “Rainbow Power.” Additional tracks feature a reimagined “Changing World” by Woody Guthrie (previously recorded by James in 2012's New Multitudes project), “New World Coming” by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, “Everything Must Change” by Benard Ighner, and “Together Again” by Buck Owens.
The album's title draws from Louisville artist Mark Anthony Mulligan's vision of “an imaginary land of peace, friendship, and equality.” James emphasized in a statement that this ideal is attainable “if only we can learn to listen, love, and forgive in paths of peace, acceptance, and tolerance.” He added: “We stand with the people of Minnesota and everywhere else affected by the horrors of ICE brutality and lack of human decency or transparency from this administration. There is room for everyone to be safe and free and at home in this vast world and we need to find a new path together to safe and humane immigration policy and reform rooted in peace and love… safety and equality… and new systems of fairness, freedom, and transparent justice for all.”
The artwork originates from a handmade wood carving James discovered years ago at a second-hand store in Missoula, Montana, called Circle Square, by an unknown artist.
