The Bottom Line: Despite not being the best James album by a long shot, there are some shining moments. Aside from those few decent singles, the album is a bust.
lambchops's Full Review: Whiplash by James (UK Band)
Whiplash, released by Mercury in 1997, is one of the least important albums from British-based James. Since the James formed in 1982, they’ve been able to assemble what amounts to now ten full-length albums and umpteen live discs, EP’s, and singles. Considering they disbanded after 2001’s Pleased to Meet You fans should feel very fortunate to have such a large catalog to refer back to.
The central force behind James has been Tim Booth since day one. Members have come and gone (Booth is apparently rather strange and difficult to work with) yet the albums have over time become more and more refined. At the time of the release of Whiplash the band was as follows Booth (vocals), Jim Glennie (bass), Larry Gott (guitar), David Baynton-Power (percussion), Saul Davies (guitar, various strings), Mark Hunter (bass), and Adrian Oxaal (guiar). Of course also lending his talent to the albums was Brian Eno, the man in part responsible for first exposing James to the world outside of Britain.
Whiplash was a departure of sorts for the band more accustomed to the “baggy” scene derived of house music. The album was less experimental and more rock and roll that earlier outings. James should have been thrust even further into the MTV culture as a direct result of Whiplash. But, of course, they were not and I am forever grateful that American kiddies never picked up on and in turn spoiled the talented band.
Maybe the reason that Whiplash was never hugely popular can be traced back to the band’s roots. They, as I’ve already mentioned, have in the past gotten away with being rather experimental. Even James’ 1993 breakthrough album Laid had some very imaginative elements and many layers of sonically pleasing noise. Whiplash on the other hand is extremely straightforward and at times lacking in comparison to the more critically acclaimed albums.
Containing eleven tracks, Whiplash did in fact spawn a few moderate hits for James. Among the more notable are: Tomorrow, She’s A Star, Waltzing Along, and Avalanche. There’s nothing particularly bad or good about the disc as a whole, it just seems to lack somehow the sparkle that made past albums special. This quality would have been received well on Whiplash. Instead, the album manages to be a treat for fans but will do little to recruit new listeners.
First and foremost, I love the track Tomorrow. As I’ve already emphasized, it’s not a complicated song per se. What makes it a standout track is Booth’s falsetto. He possesses a unique vocal talent few artists can emulate. On Tomorrow, the backing instruments are just bold enough to support him while not drowning him out. I adore the classical strings mixed seamlessly with the rock guitars and drums. Despite the album not being the most important from James, this track is certainly among the best the band has to offer.
She’s A Star fits into the Brit Pop category very neatly. It flows nicely and the instruments are understated with Booth’s vocals rising above the melody at times and weaving between the notes at others. Once again, the song is lacking lyrically but is made up for with easy to appreciate alternative pop/rock overtones.
A jangly slide guitar and muted drums lend themselves well to Waltzing Along. And with the addition of Booth’s vocals, the song is taken to another level altogether. The track isn’t as initially appealing as some of the others, but I blame that on the fact that it’s semi-experimental and niftily similar to the James of yore. Booth in this case is more than anything else another instrument. When vocalists can morph into something akin to a keyboard or guitar they are truly gifted. The lyrics aren’t particularly interesting…this, in fact is the only issue I have with Waltzing Along.
Avalanche is a less heard track from James. It’s got hints of Brit Pop but is in actuality a rock song akin to some of the harder tracks from bands like U2. Booth’s voice is as smooth and melodic as usual…in fact, I would say that Avalanche is musically more important than some of the more popular tracks on Whiplash.
Other decent songs include: Lost A Friend, Go To The Bank, and Play Dead. Overall, Whiplash is a less than stellar album. It’s a disappointment to those that had come to expect truly innovative and amazingly creative albums from the British band. Overall, this album is worth just 3.5/5 stars. To discourage a hasty purchase, I will round that number down and offer a conditional recommendation. If you like James and want to own everything they’ve ever done pick up Whiplash. If however you’re new to James, it would be more prudent to purchase Laid [1993], James [1990] or even 1998’s Best of James.
Rating: 3/5 stars
Track Listing:
1. Tomorrow
2. Lost a Friend
3. Waltzing Along
4. She’s A Star
5. Greenpeace
6. Go to the Bank
7. Play Dead
8. Avalanche
9. Homeboy
10. Watering Hole
11. Blue Pastures
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Other artists to consider if you do indeed enjoy James: Morrissey (more depressing), Stone Roses (first album only), and REM (American equivalent).
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