James - Laid

 

James - Laid

By

Jesse E. Mullen

 

When we hear about great artists, we often hear stories of instant success. Bands come crashing out of the gates with a hit record – or they follow up a tentative debut with an amazing second album. But what happens when success doesn’t come easily?

James are an English rock band from Manchester. They came up through the ranks in the mid-80s when trends like acid house and Madchester were taking off in their home city. The played at Peter Hook’s club The Hacienda and were hometown favorites. But commercial success elsewhere still illuded them.

Then 1992 came along, and they were asked to open for Neil Young on an acoustic tour. Young had much success at picking up and coming bands to support him on tour. He’d previously tapped Social Distortion and Sonic Youth to open for him.

Playing acoustically opened up a whole new world for James. They wrote a bunch of new songs in a subtler style and got Roxy Music’s Brian Eno to produce them. The resulting album, Laid was released in 1993. But how did it stack up? Could James finally get that hit they were trying for?

The dreamy slide and acoustic guitars of “Out To Get You” introduce the album in soothing fashion. Singer Tim Booth’s voice enters in a warm, sonorous tone. It’s a sound not unlike what Moose were mining at the time – hip, urbane, and sophisticated. Much different than the Britpop of the era. But things would only get better on track two.

“Sometimes” boasts a larger-than-life sound with group vocals reminiscent of gospel music. The rhythm section resembles that of “High” by The Cure. Booth’s lyrics deal with thunderstorm, and he beckons the lightning to strike him. Eno’s production only enhances the transcendence of the track.

His mix is shimmering, bringing the acoustic guitars and the bass to the forefront. This makes the song sound both bright and murky at the same time.

Beginning with reverbed drums and dobro, “One Of The Three” has a bluesy feel resembling “Water Of Love” by Dire Straits. But once Booth enters and the atmospheric keyboards color his vocals in the chorus, it sounds more like a stadium rousing anthem, albeit one at a ballad’s pace.

“P.S.” displays the influence of touring alongside Neil Young. The guitars have a Americana, country rock flavor to them. Slide guitars with heavy delay slowly burn over a mournful three-chord dirge. Booth again uses his lowest voice to start the track, but suddenly raises it in an emotive contrast.

It’s an effective tool and he uses it well. Booth is clearly a gifted vocalist, but it’s not just that he hits every note with skill. He knows when to pull back and when to give a line extra color.

But of course, we can’t end the review without talking about “Laid.” The college radio hit that broke the band in America, “Laid” was also a somewhat risky choice as a single. (Skip the next paragraph if you don’t want to read about why.)

With lyrics like “She only comes when she’s on top” – changed to “sings” in the single version – and its title, it was an obvious love song to the act of lovemaking. When Booth screeches “You think you’re so pretttyyyyyyyy” in a falsetto voice in the chorus, it’s both hilarious and celebratory.

For a band that was getting a reputation as one who took itself too seriously, James proved they could cut loose when writing about primal urges. Musically, it’s a bouncy jangle pop song which also recalls David Bowie and The Kinks. The vocals sound like Bowie in his glam phase while the character sketch of the woman the song is addressed to is pure Ray Davies.

Some bands have instant success. Others toil away for years without a hit. James are the latter kind. As the ultimate underdog band, their album Laid is both a feelgood story and an exercise in soaring perfection.

Mercury1993

 

 

 

The Folk Implosion - One Part Lullaby

 

The Folk Implosion – One Part Lullaby

By

Jesse E. Mullen

 

The city of Los Angeles has a strange effect on artists. The ghosts of it’s past haunting the works of its current residents. Trent Reznor lived at the former house of Sharon Tate while making Nine Inch Nails’ masterpiece The Downward Spiral but moved out after being thoroughly frightened by its gruesome past.

Lou Barlow understands this as well. After making noisy indie rock with Sebadoh for six years, he decided to give bedroom electronica a try. So, he moved west, partnered up with John Davis, and together they recorded tracks for the movie Kids. Thus, The Folk Implosion was born.

But no one could’ve predicted how well it would turn out. Barlow penned the trip-hop pastiche “Natural One” for the soundtrack. It combined acoustic guitars, electronic beats, and groovy bass. The clean yet underground sound was not unlike the territory Beck was mining at the time.

The track was the most successful thing Barlow had done to date. It peaked at no. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 and no. four on the Modern Rock charts.

The Folk Implosion followed this up with another album, Dare to Be Surprised in 1997. However, this one was much more indie rock oriented. And while it was very good – great at times – it didn’t have the unique qualities of “Natural One.”

So, Barlow and Davis did what any band with ambitions and commercial potential would do in the late 90s. They signed to a major label. In fact, they signed to the same major label – Interscope Records – which put out the aforementioned Nine Inch Nails record.

Questions about the band still remained, however. Could Barlow and Davis recapture the glory of the Kids soundtrack? And could they go even higher commercially? Both questions would be answered very soon. One Part Lullaby was released in September of 1999. It was a return to the trip-hop sounds of “Natural One.” But how did it compare?

The album starts where Kids left off with “My Ritual.” With its trip-hop beat and smooth vocal from Barlow, it’s almost a carbon copy of “Natural One.” While this might hurt it as a standalone track, it works within the context of the album.

Barlow seems overwhelmed by the expanse of his new city. He says – rather ambiguously – he’s “had too much to feel tonight.” It could be interpersonal related, or it could be chemically inspired.

“Free To Go” is perhaps the most upbeat and catchy song on the album. Barlow sings of growing up in relation to key events in his life – playing baseball in the backyard, learning how to drive. It’s a song of losing patience with the growing process, but it’s also joyous at the same time.

Musically, it’s mid-tempo pop rock with only slight electronic flourishes. It’s a slightly adult contemporary sound Barlow would later embrace in 2005 on his debut solo album Emoh. But it fits just as well here.

The title track is an electro-pop lullaby that almost reads like an ingredients list. “One part lullaby, two parts fear/Another animal mixing with the atmosphere.” Barlow seems to be describing his day-to-day “struggles to survive” in an eerie, detached way. It’s an oddly effective tool.

On “Chained To The Moon,” Barlow sings about “filling [his] lungs with the sky.” Musically, it’s a trippy mix of folk, hip hop, and gospel – with a choir harmonizing over a backwards beat. The chorus describes feeling trapped, but the dreamy quality to the music suggests Barlow doesn’t really mind.

The specter of Los Angles is explicitly addressed on “EZ LA.” A downtempo, downbeat electropop tune, Barlow’s lyrics ironically describe “another beautiful day.” It’s almost as if Barlow is bored with the weather or he feels unsettled by his surroundings.

Barlow later revealed to Marc Maron that he struggled with meth addiction during this period, which demystifies some of the darker lyrics. But only Barlow knows the depths of his struggles, giving the album a murky, ghostly quality.

Oftentimes, an artistic reinvention is a misguided attempt at staying relevant. But sometimes, it can bring an artist to new creative heights. In the case of The Folk Implosion, the latter was true. Lou Barlow may be known as an innovator of indie rock, but his fusion of acoustic guitars and trip-hop beats on One Part Lullaby is where he peaked.

Interscope Records/1999

 

 

 

Pete Yorn - Musicforthemorningafter

 

Pete Yorn - Musicforthemorningafter

By

Jesse E. Mullen

 

You’re a 27-year-old singer/songwriter. You’ve signed a major label contract as a complete unknown. You’ve just recorded with an influential indie rock producer. And you’re about to release your debut album.

So was the story of Pete Yorn in the spring of 2001. The musician popped onto store shelves with a debut album as a complete unknown. That album – Musicforthemorningafter – was about to change the songwriter’s life forever. But how do the songs hold up 20 years later?

The album opens with “Life On A Chain.” The song starts in lofi territory with Yorn sounding a lot like Lou Barlow. But once the chorus hits, the jangly guitars and six-string basses come in, and the track possesses an anthemic quality. A brief harmonica interlude enters in the closing moments. A triumphant opener.

Things get even more poignant on “Strange Condition.” The track starts out in a low key, sounding a bit like “Range Life” by Pavement in the first verse. There is a key change in the second verse and Yorn again sounds like nobody but himself.

Lyrically, the track describes a relationship going downhill. Yorn compares the breakdown of communication with his girlfriend to being behind the bars. He wants to level with her, but something is holding him back.

The album gets into radio-ready territory on “For Nancy (‘Cos It Already Is).” Chugging guitars and swaggering stacked vocals evoke Yorn’s love for Guided By Voices. The instantly singable refrain about “[convincing ourselves] that everything is alright” will be stuck in the listener’s head for days.

“Murray” further displays Yorn’s composition skills. The verses move from a major key to a minor key halfway through, giving the track a sweet and sour feeling. When the chorus comes along, it’s another instant hit. A slow interlude adds impact to the final verse and chorus.

Lyrically, the track describes the title character going insane from boredom. It seems to be a statement on modern life, and how technology affects our mental state. In 2021, the track is even more relevant than it was in 2001.

Perhaps the strongest song on the album is “Closet.” The track is another character sketch on a relationship breakdown, where the narrator addresses either a “Billie” or a “Billy.” The fact that Yorn leaves it ambiguous adds to the song’s impact and mystery.

The chorus is the catchiest yet. The narrator is given the silent treatment and simply wants to be addressed again. But Yorn’s vocal performance and chord changes are incredibly convincing. The bridge is also excellent.

A chord progression reminiscent of surf rock leads back into the verse and chorus one final time. The final refrain is an exhilarating change up. Using the same chords as the verse, but lyrics from the verse, the track ends with one last crescendo. An album highlight and possibly a career highlight.

Taking a chance on a young artist is always a risk. Add in a multinational corporation to the mix, and that risk increases further. But for Columbia, the risk paid off. Pete Yorn may have been making his debut album, but Musicforthermorningafter already plays like a greatest hits record.

Columbia Records/2001