James

James, one of Manchester’s finest bands, have just released there second mini-album of 2010 – ‘The Morning After’, which follows on from ‘The Night Before’ released earlier this year.

As the title suggest, the morning after is a time of reflection, and perhaps regret, at what happened the night before. This is evident through much of the album, although it is by no means a sombre album. Lyrically growing old, alcoholism and domestic violence are covered off, but neither in a throw-away style, or a morose musical style. The gentle moments of reflection sit well with the occasional euphoric musical interludes which take you back to heyday of ‘Born of Confusion’

Tim Booth’s vocals are as instantly recognisable as ever, and musical the sound of the horns takes you back to the 80s and 90s where James T-Shirts adorned every fashionable teenager. ‘Tell Her I Said So’ is were the pace really picks up, and together with a child choir comes the near-toast of "Here’s to a long life", this is the big number, although lyrically it is much more reflective about the span of life. ‘Dust Motes continues this feeling of bleakness, perhaps spurned on by the recent loss of Booth’s mother. It starts slow, builds to a peak and then tails off with just a single piano – very poignant.

Elsewhere ‘Got The Shakes’ and ‘Fear’ continue the thought provoking theme. This is not an album to listen to lightly, musically you will be rewarded, however lyrically the meaning and life, and death, are explored in depth. Now this is not a bad thing, but it does make it a serious, thought provoking listen. And on the point of thought provoking try Rabbit Hole, an Alice in Wonderland reference (?) to suggesting nothing is real and we imagine it all.

‘The Morning After’ is a strong album from an act that were perhaps never fully appreciated after ‘Sit Down’; a career spanning 20 odd years should be rewarded, especially when the quality of song-writing and musical delivery is as strong today as it has ever been.