James

James

When do they play: Friday 4/13 & 4/20
What do they sound like: They started off their career as a Madchester type band (Stone Roses and Happy Mondays) but they branched into more REM-like territory during the 90s.

Thoughts: A long time ago, James were one of the few English groups during the 90s to achieve some sort of success. The song "Laid" gave the group significant popularity amongst college students in the mid 90s. They broke up in the early part of the 2000's but have recently reformed in 2007. Enough background for now.

Personally, I only like a few songs from James. Maybe I wasn't an angsty teen in the 90s. Or maybe most of their songs come off as similar to each other. I wouldn't know considering I've only listen to their stuff recently. I probably should give them another go. Despite the somewhat lackluster output, the songs that I love are certainly some of the finest pop music I've heard. I think that simply outweighs their bad stuff. Definitely check them out when you get a chance. I wouldn't lose any sleep if they conflicted with another artist that I really love on Friday.

What should I listen to: "Laid", "She's A Star", "Sometimes", "Sit Down"; I'd check out James: The Best of since all their good songs are off that compilation.