James’ ‘Yummy’ showcases Tim Booth’s lyricism at its best
From the environment to the takeover of technology, James’ 18th studio album sees lead singer and lyricist Tim Booth speculate on the whereabouts of the world. The masterful lyricism that is woven throughout Yummy is a testament to why James’ music is still receiving critical acclaim 40 years later.
James has been churning out catchy tunes since the 1980s, following the release of their debut studio album Stutter in 1986. Hits such as ‘Sit Down’ and ‘Laid’ resulted in the band acquiring a dedicated fanbase. The release of Yummy has been much awaited by their following.
When discussing quintessential James tracks, ‘Our World’ must also be mentioned
The album opens with ‘Is This Love’, assuring listeners that while the band are musing on the major topics of today through their lyricism, they are still crafting the style of songs that helped the band cement their position within the music industry in the first place. The sing-along chorus with the repetitive “Is this love? / Is this love? / Is this love?” is quintessential of Booth’s songwriting. The instrumentation is enhanced by the layering of Chloe Alper’s backing vocals, adding a new dynamic sonically into James’ music.
When discussing quintessential James tracks, ‘Our World’ must also be mentioned. As the lead single for the album, the track has received critical acclaim, being named BBC Radio 2’s ‘Song of the Week’ upon its release. The song vividly depicts the environmental problems that we are encountering. “Because our world / Isn’t your world / You just stole the world” sings Booth. In a recent interview with The Boar, Saul Davies describes the song as a “manifesto”, a plea to their listeners to take more care of their surroundings.
The issue of the environment is not only tackled in one song, during ‘Stay’ Booth pleads with the younger generation to ‘stay’ and fight for the future of the planet. The stripped-back piano of ‘Stay’ swiftly segues into ‘Shadow of a Giant’. The orchestral section at the front of the song, courtesy of multi-instrumentalist Davies, sets a counterpoint to the other tracks on the album. At over six minutes long, ‘Shadow of a Giant’ is the type of song that you can listen to over and over again and notice something different every time, from intricacies in the violin to certain aspects of the electric guitar. Additionally, as the centrepiece of the album, the track signals the album coming into its own.
A further track in the middle of the album that deserves recognition is ‘Mobile God’. One of the most creative tracks on the album, Booth tackles the takeover of AI by taking on the persona of a mobile phone, asking the listener to “give me your keys / your ID / your schedule”, illustrating the everyday reliance on technology. These deeply observant, yet almost pessimistic, lyrics are juxtaposed with an upbeat melody and coupled with humour, one point the music begins to ‘glitch’, making for the ideal anthemic song to sing along to during James’ UK tour this summer.
Yummy is proof that James does not shy away from speculating on the most significant topics
Booth’s pensive lyricism flows through the album. ‘Butterfly’ showcases Booth’s storytelling at its finest, following the trek of a young hitchhiker and concluding with the repetition of the album title Yummy. The lyrics and sound urged Davies to wonder if it’s the “Radiohead song that Radiohead didn’t write!” Similarly, ‘Hey’ ponders the many conspiracy theories that can be heard today, arguing that “belief is stronger than proof”.
‘Folks’ is a triumphant closer to the album. As Booth considers the topic of ageing throughout the final song on the album, the lyric “Folks / it’s time to go” seems fitting as the instruments fade out.
From conspiracy theories to AI and the environment, Yummy is proof that James does not shy away from speculating on the most significant topics. Yummy is a traditional James album, littered with anthemic hits for the listener to sing along to, however, Alper’s vocals paired with the band’s creativity sonically lift the album, and makes it stand out amongst its predecessors. Booth’s introspective lyricism combined with his bandmates’ instrumentation makes for a stunning album.
James are embarking on a tour across the UK this summer.
Yummy is out now.
★★★★
Recommended Listening: ‘Shadow of a Giant’, ‘Our World’
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