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Regions of Light and Sound of God Image
Metascore
73

Generally favorable reviews - based on 27 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.3

Universal acclaim- based on 15 Ratings

  • Summary: The debut solo release for My Morning Jacket's Jim James was inspired by Lynd Ward's 1929 graphic novel God's Man.
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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 23 out of 27
  2. Negative: 0 out of 27
  1. Feb 25, 2013
    86
    Captivating to its core, it will undoubtedly soundtrack countless mushroom-fueled spirit quests and soul-searching walkabouts for light years to come.
  2. Uncut
    Feb 4, 2013
    80
    The result is a lovingly recorded scrap of splendour and beauty that takes some of the more interesting elements of MMJ and runs with them in a series of unexpected directions. [Mar 2013, p.71]
  3. Mojo
    Feb 6, 2013
    80
    This is mature, tuneful and utterly approachable album. [Mar 2013, p.87]
  4. Jan 31, 2013
    70
    Overall, Regions Of Light And Sound Of God is a good rather than great album, lacking some of the spine-tingling dynamics of My Morning Jacket but delivering a consistent vision than many of their efforts.
  5. Feb 25, 2013
    70
    James seems to be in a good place, and thankfully for us, he’s managed to capture and translate it quite well into his music.
  6. Fans alienated by My Morning Jacket’s more recent material will find plenty of comfort here.
  7. Q Magazine
    Feb 8, 2013
    40
    Pomposity reigns and the songs are too one-paced to ignore it. [Mar 2013, p.104]

See all 27 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 5
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 5
  3. Negative: 0 out of 5
  1. Nov 8, 2016
    9
    good.good. . Expand
  2. Mar 21, 2013
    9
    An album composed to be so simple has never delivered such volume and grace with it's material. Jame's vocals are not set out to dominate theAn album composed to be so simple has never delivered such volume and grace with it's material. Jame's vocals are not set out to dominate the sound but are rather 'just there'. State of technology is a stand out for me. It's cool jazz like piano loop as well as slow building progression mean this song can be enjoyed and loved time over. Can't doubt that this may be a future LSD party favorite but I admire it fully in it's own right and feel Jame's will progress onwards from his already great work with MMJ Expand
  3. Jun 1, 2013
    8
    Jim James has enjoyed much success fronting ‘My Morning Jacket’ and rightly so but it’s here on his debut solo record ‘Regions Of Light AndJim James has enjoyed much success fronting ‘My Morning Jacket’ and rightly so but it’s here on his debut solo record ‘Regions Of Light And Sound of God’ that his talents truly shine. Written, produced and almost entirely performed by James this really is an exceptional record. I must admit the album didn’t grab me on first listen but after a few turns it really opened itself to me in all its beauty. I think the main thing is that it’s hard to categorise, there is just so much going on, but not in a muddled way, everything works in perfect harmony. Which means Americana nestles up to funk and synths share space with mariachi folk, it’s a blending of styles that in the wrong hands could have been disastrous but here is quite the opposite. ‘Know Til Now’ sounds like Hot Chip in one of their more mellower moments, whereas ‘Actress’ could have come straight off a ‘John Lennon and Plastic Ono Band’ record. Layers of strings and trumpets wash certain tracks and space plays a big part like the instrumental ‘Exploding’ that cuts the album in half. I’d like to say that the nine compositions contain experimentation because that’s how it feels at times but I’m sure that everything is calculated down to the last note. With the exception of say Matthew E White no one is making music like this, making music that lasts, investing time and talent into something that will be listened to for a long time to come. Get this record, play this record and let it show you its complex magnificence. Collapse
  4. Feb 10, 2013
    8
    The minimalism of this album mostly works than it doesn't. Jim James is truly inspired to write songs about his spiritual state of being asThe minimalism of this album mostly works than it doesn't. Jim James is truly inspired to write songs about his spiritual state of being as he grows as a singer/songwriter. I took the tribute to George Harrison that he did in 2009 under the acronym of "Yim Yames" and copied it onto a copy of this album, and now I've got an hour's worth of really inspiring and good music. ...and of course, James' voice only helps these songs. Expand
  5. Dec 21, 2017
    8
    It definitely took some time to get into this album, but once I did it hard me hard. Doesn't flow as well as his second album but looking backIt definitely took some time to get into this album, but once I did it hard me hard. Doesn't flow as well as his second album but looking back it was a great debut album for his solo work. Expand