JAMES - All The Colours Of You

Amid constant shifts in identity and an alternation between creative brilliance and stretches of stagnation, James remain one of the longest-running bands on the English pop scene. Their new album "All The Colours Of You" is yet another attempt to shake things up.

In truth, Tim Booth and company, rather than truly experimenting, play at reinventing themselves without overdoing it, throwing into the mix energetic songs, lyrics as bitter and harsh as a boulder, a few clever and unexpected harmonic ideas, and shrewd, complex arrangements. An album full of powerful social and political statements, and potentially a rebirth record for James, "All The Colours Of You" lacks memorable songs — a gap that's hard to paper over, even for a band with such a glittering pop pedigree, capable of flashes of genius with intense commercial appeal: not only the well-known "Laid" and "Seven", but also the exuberant "Millionaire" and the eclectic "Pleased To Meet You".

It's nonetheless difficult, if not downright impossible, to quickly dismiss a record that opens with the cry of "we're all gonna die" — after all, it hasn't been an easy period for Tim Booth, hit on a personal level by Covid-19 (his son-in-law died of the coronavirus) while at the same time emotionally overwhelmed by major socio-political events (Brexit, Black Lives Matter, etc.).

An album whose genesis Tim Booth shared with guitarist Jacknife Lee, "All The Colours Of You" is the result of vivid contrasts between heavily conceptual, pained lyrics and incisive, light-hearted electronic arrangements. It's a restless record, a set of songs that tries to hold back the mediocrity of mainstream pop — a world to which James potentially belong just as much as U2 do — alternating predictability with ambitious musical layering, partly managing to escape mediocrity's grip.

It's admirable how Tim Booth manages to handle pain and hope, channelling them into one of the record's most lovable melodies ("Recover"), and equally interesting is the balance between tracks that echo the band's glorious past ("Beautiful Beaches"), more epic numbers perfectly suited to live development ("Wherever It Takes Us" and the title track), the intricate electronic flow of "Hush" (perhaps the best song on the album), and the not-entirely-successful antimilitarist invective of "Miss America".

“All The Colours Of You” is nonetheless a solid, concrete record, yet another confirmation of the creative standing of Tim Booth and co. James keep questioning themselves and venturing down new paths; the results don't match their past glories, but thankfully steer clear of the pitfalls that have befallen similarly veteran bands. While lacking the qualities needed for a true creative redemption, these new songs show enough promise to keep us tuned in to the band's present and future course.

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17/07/2021