Last night Wendy James appeared on a re-run of Top of the Pops from August 1989 with Transvision Vamp. Today we gave her new album a listen. Do you know what? It is a great album too.
With twenty tracks it is a long album but the music sounds fresh and happy - perfect for pretending it is a great summer and we can go out and play. It would be perfect in the background of a party or bbq. But as a party is not currently an option, how does Wendy James’s 5th solo album play as one to enjoy in isolation? Well it cheered me up!
Collaborating on the album are James Sclavunos from Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds (drums and percussion), James Sedwards (lead guitar), Harry Bohay (bass), Alex J. Ward & Terry Edwards (horn section) and Louis Vause (accordion). James herself finds herself writing, producing and mixing this album which clearly has been a journey for her. The album holds up in the traditional way as a collection of songs that can be played together.
Wendy James herself commented upon the order of the tracks: “My track listings are never altered from the order in which I write the songs, maybe it’s because it’s too tangential for me to try to shuffle songs around but really I think, in some kind of holistic way, the order in which the songs are written must surely be the very most natural order for them to be listed in.”
In one of the best albums we’ve heard so far this year you can feel the infusion of influences of music in the last thirty years being distilled into an energetic concoction. There is plenty of contrast from the Brit-Poppy opener Queen Street High through to the punk-esque exuberance of The Impression Of Normalcy. What helps make the album interesting is the changes in pace between tracks, best highlighted as The Impression Of Normalcy is followed by the jazzy melodic plinky plonk of I’ll Be Here When The Morning Comes. Even when the pace slows down for Here Comes The Beautiful it only serves to build a contrast to the poppier elements and that song finishes on a virtuous high.
I cannot wait for lockdown to stop so we can play this in the car. Indeed - I also need to sort out some tickets for her tour. This is going to sound great when played live too.
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Wendy James - Queen High Straight
✮✮✮✮✮
Released On 1st May 2020
Review: Stephen Oliver
Last night Wendy James appeared on a re-run of Top of the Pops from August 1989 with Transvision Vamp. Today we gave her new album a listen. Do you know what? It is a great album too.
With twenty tracks it is a long album but the music sounds fresh and happy - perfect for pretending it is a great summer and we can go out and play. It would be perfect in the background of a party or bbq. But as a party is not currently an option, how does Wendy James’s 5th solo album play as one to enjoy in isolation? Well it cheered me up!
Collaborating on the album are James Sclavunos from Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds (drums and percussion), James Sedwards (lead guitar), Harry Bohay (bass), Alex J. Ward & Terry Edwards (horn section) and Louis Vause (accordion). James herself finds herself writing, producing and mixing this album which clearly has been a journey for her. The album holds up in the traditional way as a collection of songs that can be played together.
Wendy James herself commented upon the order of the tracks: “My track listings are never altered from the order in which I write the songs, maybe it’s because it’s too tangential for me to try to shuffle songs around but really I think, in some kind of holistic way, the order in which the songs are written must surely be the very most natural order for them to be listed in.”
In one of the best albums we’ve heard so far this year you can feel the infusion of influences of music in the last thirty years being distilled into an energetic concoction. There is plenty of contrast from the Brit-Poppy opener Queen Street High through to the punk-esque exuberance of The Impression Of Normalcy. What helps make the album interesting is the changes in pace between tracks, best highlighted as The Impression Of Normalcy is followed by the jazzy melodic plinky plonk of I’ll Be Here When The Morning Comes. Even when the pace slows down for Here Comes The Beautiful it only serves to build a contrast to the poppier elements and that song finishes on a virtuous high.
I cannot wait for lockdown to stop so we can play this in the car. Indeed - I also need to sort out some tickets for her tour. This is going to sound great when played live too.
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