Nineties band James achieved stadium status in their British homelands but are not well-known elsewhere. They disbanded in 2001 and their key member, singer/lyricist Tim Booth put out a memorable solo release. They reformed in 2007 with the fine Hey Ma and have now adopted a calculated approach of releasing over 2010 two mini LPs.
The first of the two, The Night Before, is a revelation, seven familiar yet adventurous tracks of varied, upbeat, full-band rock, underpinned by Booth’s pristine, expressive vocals. The band has lost none of its imaginative arrangement skills, and each song ebbs and flows in classic James style, complete with full-on choruses. Standout tracks include ‘Porcupine’, with its slide guitar and ambience wonderfully reminiscent of the classic Laid album; the driving ‘Crazy’; and singalong ‘Dr Hellier’, with wonderfully obscure lyrics that seem to conflate Iraq and psychoanalysis.
A pity The Night Before is not a full-length album, but it’s not far off one and it’s a ripper. 4 stars