James formed in Manchester in 1982, when Paul Gilbertson (guitar), Jim Glennie (bass), and Gavan Whelan (drums) met Tim Booth (vocals) at Manchester University.
A long-lasting and consistently eclectic U.K. rock group, James first emerged from their native Manchester in the mid-'80s playing a brand of urgent, ringing pop.
With their textured guitar parts and distinguished vocals courtesy of frontman Tim Booth, they earned early comparisons to the Smiths, who responded by endorsing the younger band.
By the dawn of the '90s, James shook off these comparisons by embracing acid house, the first of many adventurous left turns the band took over the decades.
The baggy pop single "Sit Down" proved to be their breakthrough, reaching number two in the U.K. in 1991
With Gold Mother becoming an unqualified smash in their homeland, the record was later issued Stateside as this self-titled 1991 release.
The song that earned them U.K. commercial clout (and a spot on college rock play lists) was the infectious "Sit Down," with its hypnotic, shuffling melody and heart-on-its-sleeve lyrics.
With the same effortless craftsmanship of earlier releases (and a newly revamped lineup that had left them a septet), James also contains the dense, droning "Come Home" and the percussive, wry "How Was It for You," both of which also (and deservedly) found favor with listeners.
In keeping with prior releases, the lyrics are a mixture of disaffected outsider observations, tempered with optimism, delivered with warmth and earnestness by frontman Tim Booth.
With winning melodies and a dose of humor (the take on televangelists "God Only Knows"), James is a record that earned the group new fans and is well-worth checking out for those who might be new to them.
Track listing
1. Sit Down - 4:06
Mixed By – Dave Bascombe
Producer – Gil Norton
2. Come Home - 4:59
Percussion [Additional] – John Slater
3. Government Walls - 5:44
4. God Only Knows - 4:35
5. You Can't Tell How Much Suffering (On A Face That's Always Smiling) - 2:54
Percussion [Additional] – John Slater
6. How Was It For You? - 4:03
Remix – Tim Palmer
7. Lose Control - 4:00
Mixed By – Mark McGuire
Producer – Flood
8. Walking The Ghost - 6:11
9. Gold Mother - 7:53
Backing Vocals – Inspiral Carpets
Saxophone – Vinnie Corrigan
10. Top Of The World - 3:48
"How Was It For You" remixed at Out of the Blue, Manchester and The Windings, Wrexham.
Mixed at Square One, Bury. Published by Blue Mountain Music Ltd
Companies, etc.
- Record Company – PolyGram
- Manufactured By – PolyGram Records, Inc.
- Marketed By – PolyGram Records, Inc.
- Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Phonogram Ltd. (London)
- Copyright © – Phonogram Ltd. (London)
- Copyright © – Blue Mountain Music Ltd.
- Published By – Blue Mountain Music Ltd.
- Published By – Island Music, Inc.
- Remixed At – Out Of The Blue Studios
- Remixed At – The Windings
- Mixed At – Square One Studios
- Made By – PDO, USA
Credits
- Art Direction – Joey Reinleib
- Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals – Jim Glennie
- Design – Dana Brandwein
- Drums, Percussion – David Baynton-Power
- Engineer – Nick Garside
- Guitar, Backing Vocals – Larry Gott
- Keyboards, Accordion – Mark Hunter
- Producer – Jim Glennie (tracks: 2 to 6, 8 to 10), Larry Gott (tracks: 2 to 6, 8 to 10), Nick Garside (tracks: 2 to 6, 8 to 10), Tim Booth (tracks: 2 to 6, 8 to 10)
- Trumpet, Backing Vocals – Andy Diagram
- Violin, Guitar, Cowbell – Saul Davies
- Vocals, Words By – Tim Booth
- Written-By – Whelan (tracks: 1, 10), J. Glennie, L. Gott, T. Booth
Notes
Released: 1991
Format: CD, Album, Compilation
Genre: Alternative Rock
Style: Indie Rock
Length: 49:57
Label: Fontana
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