When High Water I was released in August 2018 it was the sound of old friends coming together in a union of rock ‘n' roll, psychedelic blues, rasping Americana and late-night storytelling. The Magpie Salute was pulled together by guitarist Rich Robinson and continued a storyline he began in The Black Crowes with guitarist Marc Ford and bassist Sven Pipien. Meanwhile, vocalist John Hogg shared Hookah Brown with Robinson as keyboardist Matt Slocum and drummer Joe Magistro both joined him for solo records and tours over the years.

High Water II picks up where the band's studio debut left off, much of the album was written during those early recordings at Dark Horse Studios in Nashville which is why it feels like a perfect continuation of its predecessor. Talking about the flow between the two albums Robinson explains; "Both records are part of a collective journey. I chose the sequence specifically for each record. I wanted ‘High Water l' to introduce us to the world and the world to us. With ‘High Water ll,' I wanted to get a little deeper. To take people places they may not have expected to go."

Like its predecessor, the first song on the album kicks off with a rocket on the roaring Robinson/Hogg penned "Sooner Or Later." The album reflects the band as a whole with Hogg co-writing seven songs with Robinson, which include the Stonesy groove of "Gimme Something," the funky blues of "Doesn't Really Matter," the Dylan/Bowie-inspired lyrical flow of "Turn It Around" and late night after hours shimmer of closer "Where Is This Place." The wholly Robinson written songs include a trio together in the first half of the album and "Life Is A Landslide" in the second half. The country-tinged "Lost Boy" was co-written between Ford and Robinson and features special guest Alison Krauss, who supplied vocals and fiddle.