Indie rockers James are back with their 18th studio album. Produced by Leo Abrahams (Jon Hopkins, Brian Eno, Jarvis Cocker, Imogen Heap and Regina Spektor) and mixed by Cenzo Townsend (Courteeners, The Specials and Everything Everything) Yummy boasts twelve tracks that explore every genre imaginable – resulting in what could be their strongest album to date.
Starting strong, Yummy kicks off with its lead single, ‘Is This Love’. Blending cutting edge synthetics with quintessential James anthemics, the euphoric track welcomes another era of the band. Showcasing a remarkable evolution from the band’s orchestral tour last year, the sweeping strings are perfectly complimented by Andy Diagram’s soaring trumpet and Tim Booth’s potent lyrics, which delve into the intricacies of love – from pain to endurance. ‘Life’s a Fucking Miracle’ follows, with an intro that leans more towards the style of a Disclosure track rather than a James one. However, as the song unfolds, it evolves into one of their most joyous songs to date that’s destined to be a crowd pleaser at future live shows. Bursting with an array of instruments, the synth heavy track sees Mark Hunter’s keyboard take centre stage while Tim tackles the importance of appreciating life and its many dilemmas.
Beginning with eerie synths that are soon joined by a disco beat, ‘Better With You’ follows. Retaining the optimism of its predecessor, it explodes into a celebration of finding the right person – and how even global Armageddon and the subsequent post-human regeneration of the planet would be beautiful to behold if you were with them. Addressing the critical issue of mental health with its profound lyrics, ‘Stay’ is a poignant addition to the band’s repertoire. By encouraging young people to persevere and confront their struggles, the song not only reflects the band’s empathetic approach but also serves as a beacon of hope for listeners navigating similar challenges and encapsulates their skill of forging meaningful connections with their fans.
Responsible for soundtracking so many lives, Tim’s compelling vocals are perfectly intertwined with Chloe Alper’s beautiful voice throughout the album, creating a captivating synergy that elevates the entire musical experience. Two standout moments are ‘Shadow of a Giant’ and ‘Way Over Your Head’, which are of a slower nature. The former offers two much welcome surprises as it features Jon Hopkins on piano and Saul Davies on violin – nicknamed the reluctant violinist, the multi-instrumentalist elevates many a live performance with his violin skills and it’s great to have them on the album. Beautifully arranged by Mark, the latter tells the tale of a character who has been driven to alcoholism and features a majestic choral moment from the band that’s sure to be emotive live.
Boasting an abundance of talent, James’ current lineup allows them to experiment more than ever and it’s not just tracks of a delicate nature that benefit from this. ‘Mobile God’ and ’Our World’ present a double explosion of creativity from the ten piece, both lyrically and musically. James have been crafting songs that address a wide range of global issues for the entirety of their career and Yummy boasts some of Tim’s most socially conscious and thought-provoking yet.The infectiously catchy ‘Mobile God’ is written from the perspective of a smart phone, while ‘Our World’ holds onto the optimism that humanity could one day come together as a global family. Commencing with a cheerful whistle, the latter is uplifting from start to finish and destined to be a crowd pleaser at future live shows – particularly when you take into account its singalong element.
With an intro that echoes that classic James sound, ‘Rogue’ pleases from the off. Written about ageism, Tim recently divulged that he imagined the protagonist as someone in their seventies, feeling like they want go rogue and break out. Defying the psychology of aging, the song boasts an irresistibly catchy chorus and spotlights Andy’s innovative trumpet work, which adds a captivating dimension to the track. ‘Hey’ follows – presenting an enthralling blend of gospel pop that delves into media anxieties and online conspiracy theories, shedding light on their role in maintaining societal complacency.
Yummy is all killer no filler and as we approach the end of the twelve track album, the quality of the tracks is as high as ever. Following the fictional story of a carefree young hitch-hiker carried on life’s romantic breeze but bound for tragedy, its penultimate track ‘Butterfly’ is as a metaphor for a fragile generation swept away by the world. The album comes to an end with the melancholic ‘Folks’. Put together from a jam between Jim and his half brother Pete, the track is the band’s most intriguing track about embracing death yet – and taking into account a great deal of La Petite Mort, as well as ‘Recover’ and ‘Zero’ from All The Colours Of You, it faced formidable competition.
With nine studio albums under their belt since they reunited in 2007, James are more prolific than ever and Yummy cements their place as one of the most comercially and aristically – and most loved – alternative bands of their era. Unafraid of the unknown, they continue soaring to new heights of beauty and inspiration and their refusal to conform to societies expectations as to what a band of their longitude should he doing is commendable.
Yummy is available both digitally and physically on 12th April 2024. You can catch the band on their UK tour in June.
