James - Laid (1993)

The fifth studio album by britpop veterans James is not only, in my opinion, up there with the best in their extensive catalogue, but some of the best that British guitar pop has to offer. The album's haunting opener, 'Out To Get You' sets a seemingly quiet, thoughtful tone, only to tear it down with the blistering, anthemic five minutes that is the classic 'Sometimes'. The band have a knack for creating a beautiful contrast between dark, pensive lyricism and beautiful riffs and melodies that are brimming with soul and passion, the sort of sounds that seem to be festival ready right from the get-go. This album in particular seems to be able to gently pull the listener into a sort of introspective trance through the superb use of the empty spaces in the more stripped-back songs such as ‘One of the Three’, where the blistering riffs of ‘Sometimes’ take a backseat to lead singer Tim Booth’s heartfelt lyrics which make the entire album just ooze with heart and soul. The emotion can be felt so strongly not only within the confines of each individual line, each track, but the album as a cohesive work. When discussing this album, it is impossible to overlook the title track, and what a track it is. Probably ranking among my all time favourites, ‘Laid’ has a slightly poppier feel to it, but it is incredibly catchy. From the moment those opening chords are struck, you can almost feel the album kick into overdrive, as the high pitched wail of the chorus so tantalisingly invites you to sing along, the building ensemble of instruments slowly guides your foot until it begins to tap and by the final chorus, you’re uplifted and you can’t quite place why or when it happened. The album’s closer, ‘Skindiving’ has a far more laid-back feel and seems as though it would feel at home on the soundtrack of a film like ‘The Crow’, as it has a sense of brooding and building tension that aim to leave the listener with a sense of completion, yet leave them wanting more, and as it fades out, you may even find yourself going back to track one, as many of Booth’s lyrics can be skimmed over on the first few listens, yet there are so any hidden gems that are just waiting to be discovered on this treasure trove of an album.