Jamie Lidell
Warp Records
(2008)
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On his third album, “Jim,” Jamie Lidell’s jet set recording sessions in Berlin, Los Angeles, and Paris touched off a cosmopolitan atmosphere in his latest release. Once again, he revisits the soulful aesthetics of earlier Motown R&B and gives it his trademark modern twist. Much more than a mere nod to Otis Redding and Marvyn Gaye, his production skills on the album have updated the genre of Soul and R&B to smoothly polished, acoustics-heavy productions.

Many know Lidell for his honey-coated voice and on-the-fly stylistic maneuverings during live performances. Yet the beauty of his latest work is in the way the record manages to translate much of that energy in the recordings. From the first tracks, “Another Day” and “Wait For Me,” the album begins with a light, casual interplay between the piano and pervasive Motown beats with traditional snares on all the downbeats. As relatively subdued as he is in his third album, it is still clear how aggressively he has approached the tried and true Stax aesthetic by adding in panning swoops and rapid EQ-ing along with other flashy electronic effects.

His flair for experimentation is also apparent when he uses bells, fuzzy guitars, and a myriad of sound effects that respond effectively to his vocal line. Yet one is always aware that aside from all layers there are to listen to, Lidell’s sweet voice always takes center stage. He never lets the listeners forget it. Then in the last 30 seconds of “Out Of My System,” the auxiliary percussion tracks take over the song, echoing a familiar stylistic move in the beginning of Michael Jackson’s “Workin’ Day and Night”.

Another noted track on the album is the ballad, “All I Wanna Do”, which boasts a strong melody and memorable hook. Unlike the other tracks, this one starts off with very sparse instrumentation, providing a perfect complement to Lidell’s warm and powerful vocals. His voice is the most engaging aspect of the album and hearing a quiet song that features its dynamic, expressive tonal qualities is a veritable treat. The song gradually unfolds and builds with the additions of a full drum set, extended chords and harmonies, and a distanced background vocal section, and finally ends with a sweet reprise played on harmonica, cellos, and banjo.

Towards the end, the other tracks on the album, “Little Bit of Feel Good” and “Figured Me Out”, sound very much like 70’s funk&soul with just a touch of disco, instantly touching a deep chord of nostalgia. Take his track, “Green Light,” which readily lends itself to the familiar feel of an Al Green song, complete with a catchy hook, reminiscent of Jimmy Ruffin’s “What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted”.

Aside from how literal his musical references may be, the real strengths of the album clearly lie in his amazing vocal prowess and air-tight productions. It may not be a radical fusion of older soul music, but the innovations of his productions keep this genre fresh and relevant for the new generation of soul listeners.

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http://www.jamielidell.com/

via Kate Rambeau, 2 May 2008 6:30pm | |