James Blunt
James, what can I say? You’ve sold millions of albums, quite a feat as all my friends who own your music are ashamed to admit it…
Singer songwriters, you have to feel for them – they start from a position of weakness. You know its going to be another tortured soul desparate for you to understand their pain/passion/failure/heartbreak…
Male singer songwriters especially…a Dawson’s Creek image is no good, so they have to up the stakes. Jack ’surfer’ Johnson is a prime example (http://www.myspace.com/jackjohnsonmusic). He’s so laid back and, well, a surfer dude, how can you not like him? I once dated a girl who, after the deal-breaking first date music conversation, said “you’ll love Jack Johnson”. It didn’t last.
And guess which macho pursuit our James partook in (the army you say? gosh, sensitive and tough, oh James!) http://www.myspace.com/jamesblunt
And can you really take him seriously when he warbles?
Daniel Powter (http://www.myspace.com/danielpowter) had to shave his head to appear respectable. Had a bad day? To f****** right after hearing your s**** on every ad break (I’m not buying Sure/Right Guard deodorant (whichever it is) from now on and to hell with the odour-related consequences).
But this isn’t just a rant. There is a genuine music issue at stake, and for those of you who dig a little deeper into the lyrics, it’s even more fundamental. These guys peddle the predictable, the cliche’d, the lines that when you actually reflect, you can’t but go, eh?! Take our pal James here:
“Simone, I wish I’d known that what seems so strong has been and gone; I’d call you up on a Sunday night and we’d both stay up until morning light” (warble)
Simone, you and I know where he was on Saturday…
Now, i can’t leave you with this bunch. There are those who are less shallow, but not so melancholy that they can’t crack a smile…
I was given a present a year or so ago by Andy and Carolyn. An album by a chap called Tom Baxter. I have to admit publicly that I unusually didn’t pay as much attention at the time as I should have, but in anticipation of his appearance at Leicester Summer Sundae, I’ve dusted down the album, and I have to say that if you have an ounce of romance in you then devour this album. It’s not one to shout out on a first date, but certainly one to play when things start getting serious (although i’ve been playing it for days now and Rosie is still not putty in my hands, tough cookie!!!).
All the ingredients are there, notably the soaring strings, the story, the sheer audacity to sing songs of the heart. But he’s subtle enough musically and lyrically to not feel ashamed to play the songs over and over.
I’ve not put a link on as you need to download his album Feather and Stone before trying his new stuff. Itunes. Now. If you download just one song, go for either Almost There (“I’m not the man of your dreams but i took you almost there” - in print looks pathetic, but add the strings and you’ll be eating your words) or My Declaration, unless Andy or Caz say otherwise.
I’ll keep this going, and put more singer songwriter types up soon but for now, it’s all about Tom (naturally)
Recommended for:
Bev – if you won’t listen to female singer song writers…
Andy T – A romantic at heart
Mash secret romantic – take the hint!
Paula – Time to ditch James Blunt once and for all
Beth and Beccy S - Yes, you guessed it, you’ll be marched to see him at LSS in a couple of weeks!
