Regions of Light and Sound of God- Jim James (ATO Records)

Brilliant. Jim James, leader of My Morning Jacket, nails is on this, not his first, solo release. Imaginative syncopation behind his nuanced but powerful vocals drive each song to make an impression from first listen. “State Of The Art (A.E.I.O.U)” is simply beautiful, simple but satisfying  There is a distinct element (apart from the stellar writing and production) in each song that separates it from typical indie fodder, such as the gradual vocal corruption in “State Of The Art (A.E.I.O.U)” , the odd swing melody that phases out “Know Til Now”, or the guitar scrapes and stabs near the end of “Dear One”. I love this album to bits already, and recommend it.

-Will Doran

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