Be Opened By The Wonderful

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Morrissey had been raving about them in all the music press and to be fair they were pretty entertaining. They dipped in and out of my life and I last seriously listened to them on the release of their last studio album `All The Colours of You` and got to witness them perform a few cuts from the album and some classic tunes live as well. Life begins at 40. For our midlife euphoria we recorded a double orchestral album of some of our deepest cuts.” One of Britain’s most enduring success stories, JAMES have released sixteen studio albums, selling over 25 million copies, with their recent run of Top 5 albums proving to be a golden era for the band. All The Colours Of You, released in 2021, was their most critically acclaimed in many years, preceded by Living In Extraordinary Times in 2018, and Girl At The End Of The World, which narrowly missed out on the top spot to Adele in 2016.

Top Of The World` is a fascinating listen as this adaptation has the addition of woodwind and strings which offers a unique angle. The lyrical content is fairly ambiguous and to me has many inferences. We have a song about the death of a loved one with `Moving On`This orchestrated version ensures that the song is both touching and moving but also has a sense of acceptance.

Top Of The World’ sees the protagonist struggling to balance their Life. “If I will not be faithful/I must accept betrayal/When your turn comes to leave me/Will my freeways have failed?” A song about loss, specifically concerning the death of Booth’s mother, ‘Moving On’ builds slowly. You begin to feel your heart beat a little more. Your breathing starts to become heavier. The eyes start to fill. This song takes you to a place where your experiences of loss float to the surface and take over. The album’s finale, ‘Laid’, sees Booth examining the relationships of those around him. His voice soars high and merges with the strings, flying high like a leaf a breeze whilst a gentle guitar strums below—an excellent way to end. Disc 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 Patton, Alli (13 November 2022). "James to Release Double Album, Celebrate 40 Years with Tour". American Songwriter . Retrieved 22 June 2023. There is a subtle intricate rawness to ‘Alaskan Pipeline’ from the 2001 album Pleased To Meet You. Lyrically brutal, you would never guess the peaks and troughs of the vocals and orchestra as they transport you to a place of denial through a true tale of unrequited love. “Richness”

Dipping their toes into the Israel/Palestine conflict, ‘The Lake’ has a dreamy eeriness. You feel like you are in a dream world but with a sinister undertone that keeps you uneasy. ‘She’s A Star’ has a 50s/60s feel. Think late Buddy Holly mixed with The Beatles in their Sgt. Pepper’s pomp. In a song about a woman finding and releasing her innermost power, Booth shows us his vocal range. “She’s been in disguise forever/She’s tried to disguise her stellar views/Much brighter than all this static/Now she’s coming through”, Booth puts himself in the position of the female protagonist and explores her inner voice and strength. The strings bring a great dimension to the song, creating a feeling like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon. The Lake` was the b side to `Laid` and is maybe a hidden gem being quite reflective with shimmering strings that pictorially portray an iridescent lake or stretch of water. A wonderfully thoughtful piece which could be a metaphor for something far deeper. The joyful`She’s A Star` a song about empowerment is given a fullorchestrated workout which allows a much more emotiveimpact. a b "Manchester legends James share their new single 'Love Make a Fool' ". XS Noize. 26 April 2023 . Retrieved 22 June 2023. Sit Down’ is a stripped-down song with Booth’s vocals enveloped with stunning strings. The song sees Booth thank two women who had greatly influenced him – singer Patti Smith and author Doris Lessing. A largely sparse arrangement like this leaves little hiding place for his voice. Good job, he nails it. ‘Alaskan Pipeline’ continues the theme of less is more. A sparse ballad, it is most notable for the music. It creates a feeling that gnaws at you, slowly bringing you to a place where you feel like crying. I don’t mind the addition of lyrics, but I would have preferred this to be an instrumental.Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band Add 22 European Stadium Shows to 2024 World Tour. Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band delivered “The Greatest Show on Earth” (Billboard) across Europe this past summer, […] I felt that the submissions here were a considerate and thoughtful selection and not what I’d expect which gives it a certain amount of charm. After investing time in listening to this re-evaluation come re-imagining of these selected pieces, it has motivated me to dig out my own James collection and give them the time that they probably deserved first time around. Be Opened By The Wonderful is an anniversary album of sorts, but once the first note hits, you know you are listening to so much more.