My Morning Jacket main man Jim James is releasing his first-ever solo album under his own name, called Regions of Light and Sound of God. “Oh ho,” you may be saying, because you are a steampunk. “But,” you may be saying because you are a My Morning Jacket superfan who just KNOWS TOO MUCH, “didn’t our merry bandleader release a debut solo EP back in 2009?” And to this I say, “No, dear friend, that EP was released under the cleverly disguised moniker Yim Yames and was therefore TOTALLY DIFFERENT. Totally different, people. In the anachronistic steampunk future, kids at record stores will be like, “Wow, bro, this Yim Yames fella sure does sound a lot like this Jim James fella.” And then their friends will be like, “Nah man, they’re TOTALLY DIFFERENT. You better get your monocle checked.”
Anyway, James’ debut solo LP under his own non Y-ed up name comes out February 5 via ATO and is based largely on Lynd Ward’s 1929 graphic novel God’s Man, a book about an artist dealing with corruption, temptation, and all that good stuff whilst discovering — ahhhhhhh — love. Says Jim James via the press release, “I wanted the album to sound like it came from a different place in time. Perhaps sounding as if it were the past of the future, if that makes any sense—like a hazy dream that a fully-realized android or humanoid capable of thought might have when it reminisces about the good old days of just being a simple robot.” After speaking these words, James donned a cape, doffed his top hat and hopped into his steam-powered brougham carriage, and disappeared off into the night. Fans were left to whisper among themselves, “Golly that does sound kinda steampunk, oof,” and post GIFs from that touchstone of the steampunk movement, Will Smith vehicle Wild Wild West (also starring Salma Hayek, in a career-defining role). Just kidding, fans. James’ record doesn’t actually sound like it was recorded by a sexy saloon girl robot in a dainty corset or whatever those people are into. It just sounds good.
Regions of Light and Sound of God will be available on CD, vinyl, tinny sounding 78 (just kidding! another joke!), digital download, and as a limited-edition package that includes a t-shirt, autographed print, keychain, and of course, a tote bag. Jim James also has some year-end shows with My Morning Jacket lined up on the East Coast, including one to ring in the New Year in Boston.
Regions of Light and Sound of God tracklisting:
01. State of the Art (A.E.I.O.U)
02. Know Til Now
03. Dear One
04. A New Life
05. Exploding
06. Of the Mother Again
07. Actress
08. All Is Forgiven
09. God’s Love to Deliver
Dates:
12.27.12 - Port Chester, NY - Capitol Theatre
12.28.12 - Port Chester, NY - Capitol Theatre
12.29.12 - Port Chester, NY - Capitol Theatre
12.31.12 - Boston, MA - Agganis Arena *
* Preservation Hall Jazz Band
• Jim James: http://jimjames.com
• My Morning Jacket: http://www.mymorningjacket.com
• ATO: http://atorecords.com
More about: Jim James, My Morning Jacket
