Toad

I have the "Laid" album, and it's fantastic. I know they were pretty huge in the U.K. and only got modest attention with the title track from "Laid."

I would love to get some other albums but don't know how they stack up.

Anyway, let's see the love for James!

Pointyskull

James was a great (and sadly under appreciated) band here in the States.


I can't recommend the live DVD enough. Nice retrospective of material if you're looking to see how the rest of their catalog stacks up.

Here's a review I wrote, if you're bored...

shizawn

Much love for James.

"Seven" is by far my favorite album by them.

Jeraden

I love James, they were always one of my favorite bands. If you are relatively new to them, you can't go wrong by getting the Best of James cd, its a pretty packed CD with lots of good stuff. Even though I have all their albums, I still listen to the Best of a lot. Other than that, the only cd to completely avoid would be Wah Wah, which isn't really an album so much as an hour of them "jamming" and experimenting, and not very successfully in my opinion.

Their first 2 albums are kind of different and not as accessible as their later stuff. I'd save those for last since I think it really helps to already be a fan before you can really appreciate them. Personally I'd recommend to get them in the following order:

Best Of James
Laid (which you already have)
Millionaires (2nd to last album)
Pleased to Meet You (final album)
Whiplash
James
Seven
Stutter
Stripmine

They also came out with a 2 disc live CD after their final album (Getting Away With It - Live) thats pretty good.

Just looking and I noticed they have a James - B-Sides Ultra album I never knew about... I'll have to check that out.

fallfan

I'm a big James fan. Sadly, they ended their career with probably their weakest album, "Pleased To Meet You". However, many of their other albums are great. None of them are quite as subdued as "Laid", but I would definately recommend picking up "Whiplash" or "Millionaires" (both are more poppy than Laid, with some dance influnences). "Seven" is a great album that's a little more like mid period U2 and the self titled "James" is kind of like their version of Madchester stuff like Happy Mondays and also worth getting. Their earlier, folkier albums ("Stutter" and "Stripmining") are hard to find in the US, but are interesting, if not quite as good as later stuff. Theres also an album called Wah Wah that was recorded during the "Laid" sessions and is a tad weird and experimental.

Toad

I definitely am into the more "subdued" vibe of "Laid", although I have heard and do like the single from "Seven," "Born of Frustration" --- good track.

The first 5 cuts off of Laid are amazing.

atlantamoi

I'm thankful I got to see them live in '93. Great live act.

The Bus

I got Whiplash and it's pretty good.

tofu

IMO, Laid was their best and most complete album. Almost every song on that album was good. But for all of their other albums, there was usually only one or two songs that I liked.

If you're a fan of the lead singer, Tim Booth, you might also want to check out his collaboration with Angelo Badalamenti called Booth and the Bad Angel. There were a few decent songs on that record as well IIRC

auto

Seven is a great album.

Groucho

Tim Booth can be seen in a small role in Batman Begins (playing Victor Zsaz).

Filmmaker

I own both LAID and SEVEN...I have to hunt and pick tracks on the former, but I avoid very little on SEVEN, a really great album.

Giles

I've seen them a couple of times once in Birmingham, UK (NEC Arena) - wow, now that was a show!

anyone have the 2004 Tim Booth solo album - any good?

pjflyer

I love James and Tim Booth but his last album is not that great. There are a few James-worthy songs, but overall I find it disappointin. There are some embarassingly bad lyrics. It shouldn't play into it but it also has possibly my least favorite album cover of all time.

I second picking up the dvd for a new fan. Great behind the scenes stories of the formation and career and a very lively, entertaining concert.

fallfan

do you remember what scenes he was in? Is he still bald?

danganet

Ha! Was just listening to Destiny Calling on my player and bam! here is the James thread! Errie!!!

I love The Best Of... One of the best "Best Of" collections out there. Got Laid and Whiplash too.

BDB

Just like Fred Astaire is great, I quite like the millionaires cd.

and the time I saw them live I hated it, tim sang the whole thing through a megaphone or a vocoder of some sort. shit.

Made up for of course by Pearl Jam and Van Morrison coming on later.