Regions of Light vs. The Waterfall

[HardNightConformist]

I was at the record store yesterday and going through the "miscellaneous pop/rock" records and low and behold I found Regions of Light and Sound of God in the pile.

Regions was my favourite album in 2013, but I've spent the last three years expanding my library so I had kind of forgotten how much I loved it.

I've rediscovered this album and remembered how awesome it is. Which made me think, which of the two newest records do I like more? James' Regions or the band's Waterfall?

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I'd have to give my vote to Regions as it offers an incredibly consistent and clear vision throughout the entire album. Waterfall has it's shining moments, but start to finish doesn't offer the same experience.

What are your guys' thoughts? If you had to choose one which would it be?

[RobRoy286]

Both very good albums in different ways. If I had to pick one, it'd probably be the Waterfall just because it's the full band. If Regions/Sound was an MMJ album, as I often wish it was, I think it'd be my clear answer. Love that the band played State of the Art and A New Life.

[MusiKel Mama]

I feel that each album addresses a different aspect of spiritual evolution, and as such, are not necessarily linear, but are integrated catalogs.  I think that "Regions" thematically explores the first moments of one's awakening from Kshipta (disturbed mind) and Vikshipta (distracted mind) to the more transcendent states of ekagra (single pointed mind) and Nirodha (master mind). The song "Actress" is a perfect example of this awakening..."truth stings and in the blink of an eye our life changes...what I came to know as you, had been replaced by something new, oh what an actress." The façade has been broken by truth...impermanence and perception are brought to the forefront...the distortion of reality is being witnessed. "Dear One" is an interesting love song, because it eludes to an archetypal "twin flame" type relationship, but is perhaps the character's first experience with the "siddhis", which are the profound experiences attained by spiritual masters in states of meditation. The danger of the siddhis to early practitioners is that they ultimately serve to distract from the true goals of self awareness, and ultimately lead to the same dissatisfaction from which one is trying to escape.  The whole first half of the album is the opening to this kind of transcendence, with
"Exploding" as the kind of bridge to the more mired subtleties of mind, hence the decidely moodier tones of "All is Forgiven" and "God's Love to Deliver".  The sensationalism is gone, and the character exists within more hallowed, less easily navigable states. In addition, Regions repeatedly references fate and destiny, an indication that the character relinquishes himself to predestination, and thus reveals that he has yet to experience the true nature of subatomic phenomena, which ultimately manifest as the field of pure potential (see:Schroedinger's cat).

The said, The Waterfall has shed the self-conscious aspects of Regions, and has come to a new threshold of self-realization.  " Being" is of paramount importance. The album runs through the gamut of human experience,  but is less emotional, less attached..and in that...it seems more natural, more honest, less afraid of letting go.  This is the work of an individual who has recognized their personal power, and is unafraid to express unapologetically...to let it all flow. To stop the Waterfall, one must accept the inherent stillness...in stillness, nature is realized.  Suspended animation. The silent observer always watching the mind. The notion that "Only Memories Remain" is the idea that the only thing that keeps us from existing in the flow are the Samskaras, or prior impressions, that cause us to think that we have some kind of individual, isolated understanding of an infinitely changing universe. Memories remain, and keep us from evolving, because life has other ideas.  In addition, the character in this case acknowledges the power of choice and possibility..."nobody knows for sure"/"if we ain't careful"...this is someone who sees that the primary law of the universe is that everything is subject to change "the seed took root over many years"...that infinite possibility abounds...

I think these albums are masterful roadmaps to the soul. But without going through Regions, I could not have understood The Waterfall. With water and with light, there is no one true path that leads to the promised land.

[Stevie]

Wrong!

I'll tell you what it's really about.  It's a trip, man!



Just kidding, what a perspective!  I think I need to re listen to both again now after reading that.