Jim

I often think about when music is released, season-wise. Artists (or more likely, record labels) drop obvious summer hits a month too late; stark, introspective albums bow in May. And so on. Surely musicians are keen to get their work out in a timely fashion, but sometimes the timing is just off.
Anyway, I listened to the new Jamie Lidell record today, and it felt perfect. Like it was made for this week - the week it finally became reliably warm and sunny in New York. It felt as if I hadn't had it on the iPod, the city would have had to have somehow created it. Urban musical zeitgeist, or whatever you please.
So. I'm easily taken with new music these days, but that said, it's a pretty fantastic record. It's a great progression from the last one - looser and more confident. In a sense, considering Lidell's electronic roots, and the use of loops and layering on Multiply as a means of tentative approach to traditional soul music, the more organic Jim continues a reverse progression (retrogression?) of sorts.
I love the single - it took me a couple listens, but after that I've had it in heavy rotation the last few weeks. Other highlights: "All I Wanna Do" dips into almost Doo-Wop-esque production near the bridge. "Figured Me Out" - the most electronic-leaning of the bunch - is insane. It sounds like a future-retro-futuristic throwback to early Jamiroquai, Central Line, vocoder funk, and new jack swing all at once. And "Green Light" - I want to live inside this song. The percussion at the beginng is great - so halfway between Shuggie Otis and Richie Hawtin. And the first chorus slides in so lovely.
It's been a long time since I've had a succession of "favorite records" this long - maybe not since I was in junior high and couldn't afford to buy but one cassette every couple of months. Anyway, it's nice to kind of live with an album for a while, or whatever. Progression so far this year: Owusu & Hannibal-Adele-Erykah Badu-Benny Sings-Jamie Lidell...