LEXINGTON HERALD-LEADER | LEXGO.COM WEEKENDER: STAYING IN FRIDAY | FEBRUARY.15.2013 | 29 MUSIC HOT TICKETS ALBUM REVIEWS CRITIC’S PICK POP Jim James My Bloody Valentine Regions of Light and Sound of God m b v | There are instances on Regions of Light and Sound of God, the new and profoundly contemplative solo album from Louisvillian Jim James, when one can’t help but think of Van Morrison. WADE PAYNE | 2010 ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO It’s not a matter of Country singer Justin Moore is slated to perform in Corbin on April 20. style or sound, really. Yet within in the grooves sits a mix Kevin Shields’ name belongs on the short of yearning, reflection and spiritual release that could list with such creators as Ralph Ellison, Tickets on sale soon: $55.50. On sale at 10 a.m. Feb. 15. have been plucked right out of Morrison’s mighty back Henry Roth, Jeff Mangum (of Neutral Milk Wish You Were Here Pink Floyd Ticketmaster. Troubashow.com. catalogue. It’s just that in lieu of the latter’s Celtic fancy, Hotel) and Axl Rose — guys whose towering Tribute. 8 p.m. April 6. Bogart’s, Styx. 8 p.m. April 6. Horseshoe Regions of Light favors a predominantly one-man-band artistic achievements in their youth loomed Cincinnati. $12. On sale at 10 a.m. Feb. Southern Indiana, Elizabeth, Ind. sound that employs ambient orchestration, trip-hop so large that for a prolonged period they 15. Livenation.com. $35-$65. On sale at 11 a.m. Feb. 15. Memphis. April 2-7. The Kentucky Ticketmaster. beats and vocals that shift from plaintive contentment to were unable to continue producing new work Center for the Performing Arts, Hatebreed, Every Time I Die, more. otherworldly wonder. or unable to stop fiddling with it and let it Louisville. $42.25-$76.25. On sale at 10 7 p.m. April 15. Headliners Music Hall, In other words, this is music that, like Morrison’s loose into the world. a.m. Feb. 15. Ticketmaster, 1-800-745- Louisville. $20. On sale at 10 a.m. Feb. greatest songs, reaches for the heavens, knowing all too In Shields’ case, the vehicle is My Bloody 3000 or Ticketmaster.com. 16. Ticketweb.com. well how unobtainable they can be. Valentine, the half English-half Irish, half World Class Bluegrass. 8 p.m. April Kottonmouth Kings, Deuce, more. “Lost in the world, it seemed,” James sings in Know male-half female rock band that invented 9. 20th Century Theater, Cincinnati. 7:30 p.m. April 17. Headliners Music Hall Til Now. “Caught. At a loss for words. I didn’t know ’til and perfected the genre that came to be $20. On sale at 10 a.m. Feb. 15. Louisville. $22. On sale at 10 a.m. Feb. now.” Sung essentially as an unapologetic confession known as “shoegaze” with the gloriously Ticketmaster. 16. Ticketweb. (“How could I have known how sweet life could be?”), messy, assaultive yet intimate 1991 Jackson Justin Moore, Dustin Lynch, Jon Hollywood Undead. 8 p.m. May 25. the tune’s atmospheric epiphany is colored by twilight- Pollock drip painting of a rock album, Pardi. 7:30 p.m. April 20. The Arena at Expo Five, Louisville. $22. On sale at 10 hued keyboards, mantralike beats and a vocal falsetto Loveless . Southeastern Kentucky Agricultural and a.m. Feb. 16. Ticketweb. that sounds stuck in the stratosphere with all intentions In case you hadn’t heard, on Saturday, Expo Complex, Corbin. $20.75-$35.75. In the Mood musical revue. April of moving upward. It is equal parts funk parade ( with an Shields shocked the indie rock world by On sale at 10 a.m. Feb. 15. Ticketmaster. 15. Lexington Opera House, Lexington. The Time Jumpers. 7:30 p.m. May $24.50-$49.50. On sale at 10 a.m. Feb. interlude of fuzzy synth beats), space-age surf (think the finally making good on his long promise to 14. Lexington Opera House, Lexington. 18. Ticketmaster. Beach Boys at their most melancholic with a Radiohead release the follow-up to Loveless. rewiring) and soul affirmation (the farthest reaches of The nine-song m b v is available for James’ singing bring to mind Marvin Gaye — no joke). purchase only through Mybloodyvalentine.net, IN THE BINS iTUNES TOP 10 You could play spot-the-influence all day on Regions and when it became available last weekend, it OUT NOW Top 10 albums on the of Light. Actress, which is probably as close as the caused the band’s servers to crash for a time. iTunes Store for album veers to James’ music with My Morning Jacket, It became quite difficult to buy the thing. Devon Allman, Turquoise Wednesday: recalls John Lennon, especially in the song’s aggressive M b v starts off sounding an awful lot Bullet for My Valentine, Temper Temper 1. The 20/20 Experience, chorus. Dear One is one of many bits of homemade like Loveless — not that that’s a bad thing Jeremy Camp, Reckless Justin Timberlake spiritual electronica that would be at home on any — with cooing, Cocteau Twins-style whispery Matt Costa, Matt Costa 2. Babel, Mumford & Sons number of Todd Rundgren’s albums. vocals by Shields or fabulously named Will Downing, Silver 3. Babel, deluxe edition, James doesn’t tackle everything himself on Regions second guitarist Bilinda Butcher bleeding The Bryan Ferry Orchestra, The Jazz Age Mumford & Sons of Light. Longtime friend Dave Givan play drums ,, and into a multilayered wall of guitar sound. Foals, Holy Fire 4. Some Nights, fun. a pair of prized Lexingtonians, Emily Hagihara and Ben In its middle passages, the martial drums Imagine Dragons, Night Visions 5. The Lumineers, Sollee, add percussion and strings, respectively. But and captivating melodies alive in the mix Pat Metheny, The Orchestrion Project The Lumineers 6. 2013 Grammy Nomi- James unquestionably dominates with music that dances on songs like If I Am pull m b v in a pretty, Anders Osborne, Three Free Amigos Raekwon, The Tonight Show nees, various artists between retro and futuristic, and full-circle lyrics that almost pop direction. 7. Temper Temper, deluxe search for change while celebrating the here and now. Then the tone gets much more Otis Taylor, My World Is Gone Kelly Willis & Bruce Robison, Cheater’s Game edition, Bullet for My No wonder the album’s 38-minute running time aggressive, as skittering drum ’n’ bass beats Wonder Years, Sleeping on Trash Valentine skims by in an instant. But then, the speed of life (and, work their way into the air-raid attack on not 8. El Camino, The Black perhaps, afterlife) is part of what makes Regions of Light entirely successful tracks such as In Another Keys COMING TUESDAY so fascinating, as shown by one of its most absorbing Way and Nothing Is. Those songs suggest 9. Unorthodox Jukebox, songs, a lullaby of change and return titled Of the Shields is at long last searching for a My Buckcherry, Confessions Bruno Mars Mother Again. Bloody Valentine sound, but he hasn’t quite Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Push the Sky 10. Sigh No More, “Nothing ever stays the same way for long,” James arrived there yet. Be patient: He just needs a Away Mumford & Sons sings. “Good or bad, short and sweet, skip a beat, close little more time. Robben Ford, Bringing It Back Home For more information, go Jerry Garcia, GarciaLive Volume 1: Capitol to Apple.com/itunes. your eyes and it’s gone.” DAN DELUCA, Theatre MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE WALTER TUNIS, CONTRIBUTING MUSIC WRITER THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER SOURCE: CD CENTRAL INFORMATION SERVICES.