The Last Drop

Jamie Lidell, Jim – Umm, before I can even address this album, there are two things I have to mention.
1) Jim – Really? That’s the name of the album? I know your a prankster, but seriously? OK…
2) Ahhh….I get it. Thanks for the lovely show at Koko on Tuesday, Jim! You are still the only man I would marry. Let’s make musical, heterozygously advantaged babies and live in Berlin!

Thus, now I have context for listening to this album. Most others will ostensibly hear a grand departure from the unconventional, untidy and often unmatching albums that were previously released. While I hold Multiply and the following remixes Multiply:Additions in some of the highest regard in my collection, you can easily find fault in them as albums. He’s a genius, but as a genius, he often doesn’t make (linear) sense. Jim is one step towards falling in line with album flow and sonic evolution. Maybe less avant garde than the previous recordings, but no less enjoyable. And what a joy it is! I think he actually made the album with little bits of sunshine, a bottled rainbow, and some Southern BBQ. I am still listening to this bad boy on heavy rotation. The perfect blend of soul and funk to ‘get me up’ on a Sunday morning (look at that, a pun. That’s how much I love you, Jamie!). I’m desperately hoping that Jim becomes the St Elsewhere of 2008. Extremely listenable, but still intricate. And that voice! Find me a badder white man on the planet and I will gladly give up my Jamie obsession. Every song is fully fleshed out, if not bubbling with enthusiasm. His success as a vocalist is cemented with this album. And he brings it live so get yourself some tickets while you can. Oh, and check out the crazy content on his website, like this interview with Blender. He’s properly mad. But I love it. And I love him.