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Editorial Review:
In need of proof that indie mid-distance runners James are more than just that lot that made audiences "Sit Down" in the early 90s, with the occasional B-list single since? Then set yourself down in front of the title track of this, their first album in seven years and their most vital release in fifteen. "Hey Ma!" shrills Tim Booth in a disfigured falsetto, "boys in body-bags, coming home in pieces!". It's a robust piece of dissent, awkward to listen to and not exactly a short-cut to radio playlists, but the remarkable thing is how infectiously the band chime up around him, from muted flutters to spirited pulse-boosting bombast without missing a beat, acoustic guitar shredded like ticker-tape, buoyed by hopeful harmonies. It becomes a ringing pop tune, transcending its context but in turn reinforcing its message, because you can't escape it--a textbook protest song, and as such a precious rarity. This classic James line up--the one that last crafted 1993's Laid--invoke the spirit of that record and though Brain Eno doesn't produce Hey Ma they remain inspired by his methods, resulting in a fluid gushing of inspiration, numerous melodic shadings and complex weaves of sound that are never quite allowed to run away with themselves. "Bubbles" explodes in a welter of criss-crossing driven hard by a quivering trumpet fanfare, "White Boy" has the kitchen sink thrown at it and judders nearest to their earlier eccentricities, while "Of Monsters & Heroes & Men" hosts a much more subtle evolution, perfect for Booth's unwinding prose and the hymnal ends it achieves. --James Berry
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
Awesome I had no idea 'James' were back together and recording, let alone releasing a new album, such is the amount of press this new album has received!!! Which is really undeserved. I wasn't sure what to expect from this latest offering, its been well over a decade since their last album, could they cut it anymore? Or would they be a sad embarrasment of their former selves? Oh yee of little faith!!! 'James' were responsible for some of the best indie rock anthems of the early and mid 90's, but also wrote... more info
stunning return The world wept when james , went their separate ways , but now it rejoices with truly an awesome and moving album.
Forget the grandstanding bands like U2 and the vacuous Coldplay this is the real deal , both confronting and inspirational. The standouts are for me bubbles , hey ma and coming home but it is of monsters , heroes and men which will stay with you for a while , simply stunning.
buy it
Best comeback album ever When I first heard James was reuniting, my heart was being tugged on in two directions. I would love to hear James again, but I was expecting a half hearted attempt at rekindling the magic that made James such a good band in the first place. "Hey Ma" proves my doubts wrong, and then some. "Bubbles" begins the album with a song about new life, describing Tim Booth's joy as a father. This song is reminiscent of Laid era work - uplifting, but atmospheric. While Eno isn't here to produce this album, his... more info
mmm ... chocolate !!! "My works about words and sounds you can taste, violins and trumpets, chocolate cakes" sings Tim Booth halfway through this majestic, triumphant return, and so sums up both Hey Ma, and James working methods.This is mood music.Every piece here is picked from the many they improvise because it displays a mood, a feeling, a melody, hypnotic patterns that the band can't let go of and have to persevere with until Tim Booth forms the words and images that compliment them.All woven together to form songs that... more info
