James
Girl At The End Of The World
BMG Recordings
For the most part, James has always been a singles band, known more for their hits than their albums. Thatβs not to say that their LPs are bad β Gold Mother and Laid are classics β but a fair amount of them are bogged down with filler.
Their latest album, Girl at the End of the World, falls somewhere in the middle. It is not bad by any means, but many of the songs that donβt really stand out. βBitchβ and βNothing But Loveβ are solid tracks, but both are a far cry from classics like βCome Home,β βLaidβ or βHow Was it For You?β
βBitchβ gets things started with distorted guitar licks and pumping bass line. During an intro that’s over two minutes long, the band layers an array of guitar riffs and spacey synth lines that display the group’s musical range.
Unfortunately, on many tracks Tim Boothβs voice is mixed beneath the other sounds; that’s unfortunate, as Booth’s vocals often carry the band. However, βAlvin,β one of the album’s more upbeat songs, does not suffer from that ill-advised mixing choice. The song is better for it.
Girl at the End of the World does make clear that James are not afraid to experiment. For a band now on their 14th release, that’s an impressive quality. The disc features more electronic elements than any previous James LP. Occasionally the synth vibe feels overused, but it’s absolutely right on the New Order-esque βDear John.β
Longtime James fans will rejoice when they hear βWaking.β The track, a highlight of Girl at the End of the World, finds James returning to their glorious Madchester days. The albumβs title track, which is also the closer, features melodic slide guitar that conveys a sense of hope.
In sum, thereβs no doubt that Girl at the End of the World β like most James albums β includes filler material, but its stronger moments make it ultimately worthwhile.
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SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JAMES – GIRL AT THE END OF THE WORLD
Ryan Sagadore