WORDS LLOYD WAKELING
James
‘Be Opened By The Wonderful’
It’s so difficult to define a bands worth, if I may use the crass, until a period of time has elapsed from day one until, well, the present and in the case of James, albums, touring and time have definitely written a history of brilliance in all of the above.
Time after time, through all of the years that come and go, they have carved a niche far beyond the initial calling of the band and turned their legacy into a full blown attack on musical apathy and the like. From songwriting perfection to performance mastery, James live and breathe the air that is very much of their own making and deliver yet again a masterpiece of ear poetry.
A double album full of orchestral siblings that reimagines a past life, these tracks focus solely on what makes those very songs the lifeline they are to our memories, collectively and individually. The beauty of strings and an orchestra of finery, mixes so poignantly with the lyrics of a still relevant time as to inject these times with a much needed epipen full of musical genius.
Listening to these two records, reminded me of how still the old can be guardians of a past, yet delivering it in a whole new way, becoming reborn and invigorated wearing new clothes that you can actually see. I love that the band had the balls to do this and quite brilliantly they have captured each and every song in a way that embraces their youth and turned them into the musical adults they have always wanted to be.
10 / 10
CD TRACKLIST
CD #1
· Sometimes
· Love Make A Fool
· We’re Gonna Miss You
· Tomorrow
· The Lake
· She’s A Star
· Lookaway
· Sit Down
· Alaskan Pipeline
CD #2
· Someone’s Got It In For Me
· Hey Ma
· Hello
· Beautiful Beaches
· Why So Close
· Medieval
· Hymn From A Village
· Say Something
· Top Of The World
· Moving On
· Laid
VINYL TRACKLIST
SIDE A
· Sometimes
· Love Make A Fool
· We’re Gonna Miss You
· Tomorrow
SIDE B
· The Lake
· She’s A Star
· Lookaway
· Sit Down
· Alaskan Pipeline
SIDE C
· Someone’s Got It In For Me
· Hey Ma
· Hello
· Beautiful Beaches
· Why So Close
SIDE D
· Medieval
· Say Something
· Top Of The World
· Moving On
· Laid
JAMES are: Tim Booth, Jim Glennie, Saul Davies, Adrian Oxaal, David Baynton-Power, Mark Hunter, Andy Diagram, Chloe Alper and Deborah Knox-Hewson.
FOLLOW JAMES
My life is a soundtrack, i track my life through music, photography is my passion, my escape, my expression. Without both i have pieces missing, thankfully i’m blessed and get to combine both.
Born in Manchester, lived in Australia for 22 years where i was heavily involved in the Australian Music Industry, firstly in bands (Singer) and then managing bands (all original), I moved back to the UK, Wales specifically 10 years ago
