Jim
Warp/Remote Control
****
The funk-soul brother triumphs, but does the mainstream beckon?
An erratic sense of joy permeates this heartfelt and intelligent album from Jamie Lidell- the best kept secret in soul. The foot-tapping, head-bopping sense of fun is contagious and uplifting, yet “Jim” avoids Jamiroquai-like shenanigans and instead, plays more as a straight-up-homage to funk.
The frenetic, action packed ‘Wait For Me’ is almost show-tune like in its uproarious nature, however there are a few sappy moments which feel more Jack Johnson then Otis Redding. In particular ‘All I Want” evokes cheesy love scenes in chick flicks from the 90s. Weak points are more than redeemed though, with standout tracks “Another Day” and “Hurricane” picking up any loose ends.
On repeated listens, “Jim” reveals more of the electronic glitches and intricacies used to craft it, courtesy of Lidell’s talents as a beat-boxer, DJ and producer. Hopefully with “Jim”, Lidell will find a bigger audience for his most highly accessible and soulful venture to date.
Check it out here:
http://www.jamielidell.com/
http://www.myspace.com/jamielidell
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