James - The Girl At The End Of The World
9/10
I once said James represented everything that was wrong with British alternative music. Yeah, well, I got that one wrong. In my defence, I was describing the response that megahit single Sit Down got at club nights throughout the ’90’s. If you’re gonna sit on a barely lit dance floor, don’t get upset when I trip over you...Anyway, to Girl At The End Of The World. Having sold 25 million copies of their preceding thirteen albums, it would have been easy for James to stick to a winning formula. And they do. Up to a point. Nothing But Love, To My Surprise, Feet of Clay and Catapult are classic James. But this is a band that has always pushed its boundaries. Bitch and Attention are contemporary takes on motorik krautrock. Despite the hackneyed title, Dear John is an original take on the end-of-the-relationship song. Surfer’s Song and Alvin border on the ecstatic. The title track closes proceedings in James’ classic style, somehow both melancholic and uplifting. This is a thoroughly convincing set from a band that are now into their fourth decade. It will keep the old fans happy but is also be a good entry point for new fans or the merely curious.
9/10
