James – Better Than That EP review

2018 has been a year for taking stock for many of us; miraculously we survived 2017 as a species, whilst the sun keep rising in the east and setting in the west roughly the same as it did in the good old days or relative normality back when it seemed Blackberry Messenger was all we had to worry about.

James have been around since the early 80’s and were once championed by Morrissey before he lost his marbles; their noughties reformation felt as sincere as that of any other group, producing a raft of hearfelt, compassionate music since.

But whilst the Manic Street Preachers responded to their mid-life crisis by going straight for the stadium agitprop jugular of Resistance Is Futile, Tim Booth and co. have taken a far more subtle detour with Better Than That, a quarter of new songs which embraces their lesser tones of gladness. Few writers are more capable than Booth of exploring the contours of our feelings however they’re expressed and in yet again sidestepping the obvious, James remain one of Britain’s most fascinating overground underground bands.

You can read a full review here. (A new window will open)