My Morning Jacket Frontman's Solo Album Streaming Now
The wait is over: Jim James' solo debut, Regions of Light and Sound of God, is streaming online over at NPR right now. As you might've gathered from the preview track "A New Life"—which James told Fuse has an intentional "Harry Belafonte tropical vibe"—James' solo work is a far cry from My Morning Jacket's psychedelic Southern rock.
Alternately funky and ethereal, James' Regions of Light and Sound of God sounds more like a Flaming Lips side project than an MMJ offshoot. You'd think former collaborator Wayne Coyne must had something to do with the recording sessions—especially on the excellent, Yoshimi-ish "Know Til Now"—except for the fact that James engineered this LP on his own and played every instrument on it. Jim James: Kentucky's answer to Prince.
James also announced a bounty of tour dates behind his album, kicking off April 17 in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, and wrapping May 15 in Seattle. Prior to this full tour, James had announced three (now sold-out) east coast dates, including a gig at Sleep No More, which is a 1920s-themed interactive play in New York. Check out the full dates below and listen to the album via NPR.
Sold-Out Dates
2/18, Philadelphia, PA (Johnny Brenda’s)
2/19, Brooklyn, NY (Music Hall of Williamsburg)
2/20, New York, NY (McKittrick Hotel)
Just Announced Tour Dates
4/17, Louisville, KY (Brown Theatre)
4/19, Milwaukee, WI (The Pabst Theater)
4/20, Chicago, IL (Vic Theatre)
4/21, Minneapolis, MN (First Avenue)
4/23, Columbus, OH (Newport Music Hall)
4/24, Toronto, ON (Phoenix Concert Theatre)
4/26, Boston, MA (Royale)
4/27, Philadelphia, PA (Union Transfer)
4/29, New York, NY (Webster Hall)
4/30, Washington, DC (9:30 Club)
5/2, Nashville, TN (Cannery Ballroom)
5/3, Asheville, NC (The Orange Peel)
5/6, Austin, TX (Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheatre)
5/7, Dallas, TX (House of Blues)
5/9, Denver, CO (Ogden Theatre)
5/11, Los Angeles, CA (The Fonda Theatre)
5/12, San Francisco, CA (The Fillmore)
5/14, Portland, OR (Crystal Ballroom)
5/15, Seattle, WA (Neptune)
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