My Morning Jacket's Jim James has announced Regions of Light and Sound of God (Deluxe Reissue), an expanded edition of his 2013 debut solo album. The deluxe edition is arriving July 29 via ATO Records, and alongside the announcement, James has shared a new song called "Read Between (Begin Again)."
"Read Between (Begin Again)" is one of 12 previously unreleased demos, B-sides and alternate takes that accompany the original nine-track album. The two collections are presented as a double LP with custom inner-sleeves, labels, and new artwork.
James wrote the glimmering, piano-based song about an aunt who was suffering from dementia. "It is so wild to watch someone you love slowly disappear right before your eyes mentally while their body continues to hang on for a while," he said in a statement. "Really made me question the nature of the soul and spirit — what exactly is it that truly makes a person who they are? Where does 'the soul' go as dementia sets in?"
About the deluxe edition of Regions of Light and Sound of God, James said:
I have changed a lot since then, many times over. So, in a lot of ways, it's like a time machine, thinking about these songs, remembering what life was like back then. What I have gained and lost since. It makes me feel grateful for all of the gifts I have been given and for all of the love I have experienced in my life. It also makes me really miss some people, places, and things as well that I know I can never get back. It's wild how as we age, we become more and more aware, more and more conscious, at least it seems that way to me. For most of my life, I feel like I was just RUNNING...trying my best but not fully conscious or aware of what was really happening. So lost – for better or worse. Not that we ever will be fully aware of anything but when I look back a lot of the time, I get this feeling where I am just blown away by how much we change as life goes on, and it seems to me one of the supreme gifts of getting older is increased awareness.
Check out "Read Between (Begin Again)" and see the Regions of Light and Sound of God (Deluxe Reissue) tracklist below.
Regions of Light and Sound of God (Deluxe Reissue):
Side A
1. State of the Art (A.E.I.O.U.)
2. Know Til Now
3. Dear One
4. A New Life
5. Exploding
Side B
6. Of the Mother Again
7. Actress
8. All Is Forgiven
9. God's Love to Deliver
Side C
10. All Is Forgiven (Alt Version)
11. State of The Art (A.E.I.O.U.) [Demo]
12. A New Life (Alt Version)
13. Dear One (Demo)
14. God's Love To Deliver (Demo)
Side D
15. You Always Know
16. Read Between (Begin Again)
17. Epichord
18. Sweets
19. Moving Away (Alt Version)
20. Hallway of Trees