“There’s a theme of moral confusion that runs through the whole record,” says Jim James, frontman of My Morning Jacket, explaining the title of the band’s new album, Evil Urges. “The world today is such a confused place. Things that people think are good values are obviously twisted, but there are other things considered evil that obviously aren’t. There is real evil out there, but Evil Urges is about how all of these things that you’ve been told are evil really aren’t, unless they’re actually hurting something or somebody.”

It’s ambitious territory for the group’s fifth full-length studio album, and it’s matched by the most far-ranging, surprising, and satisfying sounds of their career. From the freak-funk electro-slam of “Highly Suspicious” to the contemplative “Sec Walkin’,” which could almost be a Nashville standard, on Evil Urges, My Morning Jacket display the scope and fearlessness that demonstrates their growth into one of the world’s great rock & roll bands.

Evil Urges marks a new high point for a band that is proudly, impressively evolving. Z was a breakthrough for My Morning Jacket, really their first attempt to use the studio to do more than just capture their incomparable live sound (as documented on the mesmerizing live 2006 CD and DVD releases, both titled Okonokos). This album, though, extends that sense of experimentation and aspiration—and Jim James gives credit to his bandmates for the accomplishment.

“I’m pretty controlling, because I know what I want to do and how I want things to sound,” he says. “But they’re so good at working with me, and chilling me out and making my dreams come true—and then always making everything sound even better.“