Jamie Cullum - Catching Tales (1 Viewer)

[nickGreenwood]

Jamie's new album finally came out on Tuesday. I finally had a chance to get it from iTunes last night. So far from what I've listened to it's not too bad. He uses a little more "hip/hop" style drumming and/or a rock style, but his piano playing is still great.
His cover of "I Only Have Eyes For You" is alright, I don't like the bass through out the song, it would be better if they released the song without the bass or softened it a bit.

Here's the iTunes link.

Jamie Cullum - Catching Tales (iTunes)

 

[Lee Scoggins]

I like the tunes. Will definitely get. His first album is a great SACD.

 

[AlexCremers]

I have nothing against his poppy side but I'm utterly disappointed with the song material that's on this album. The first two CDs were much stronger in this department. There's too much of his own writing this time and it hurts the album. Also, the "souling" in his singing lines (Jamie sometimes wants to be a male "diva") is sometimes very inappropriate. Jamie does a better job of getting the message across if he restrains himself more. What's left, of course, is a truly fantastic pianist.

 

[Ron Reda]

Is it me or did this one fly under the radar??? I knew JC was in the studio, but all of a sudden the CD was out. Seems like a poor advertising job by Verve. Also, the CD is only 2 weeks old and it was already relegated to the under visited jazz section at Best Buy? I usually see stuff that’s like 3 months old still in the front CD bins, yet JC’s release gets no respect. Nature of the jazz beast I guess.

Anyway, after a few listens, I like this CD quite a bit. While I’m not overly crazy about the hip-hop stylings on this one (fortunately, there’s not too much of it), it’s not that bad. It seems like he’s just dabbling in it a bit. Hopefully, he doesn’t take it too far on future releases. To me, he takes what he did on the first CD and expands upon it so as not to lose the audience he built from it. I really like “Photograph” and “London Skies”. Those are the tracks that immediately jumped out to me. It’s good to hear JC’s vocals again. There’s something about them that reminds me of the fall/winter and kinda warms the soul. Sounds kinda sappy, I know! P. S. Buyer beware…don’t buy the expanded edition. The DVD that comes with it is nothing at all special and is worth only one viewing tops.

“There's too much of his own writing this time and it hurts the album.”

I think that this works to his advantage. Having too many covers on this CD would have had people asking where his own material was. I think the few that he does have on this CD work well, especially the Doves cover.

 

[nickGreenwood]

"Photograph" is probably by far my favorite song on the album, followed by "London Skies" they're the big "jazz" hits on the album. "Get Your Way" has really grown on me and I like singing along to it in the car (where I don't hurt too many people's ears )

It did fly under the radar, I didn't even know it was coming out until I heard he was putting out an EP of songs which became a 5 song Live disc and then barely after that Catching Tales came out, I don't really think anyone knew.

 

[AlexCremers]

Why? I mean, I didn't hear that many people complain about the amount of self-penned Cullum songs on the previous albums. And covers like "I only have eyes" aren't elevating the album either. Listening to this album, I can't get rid of the feeling that Jamie wants too much. It's almost becoming fraudulent. And as long as we're talking pop albums, I think Paul McCartney's new CD (Chaos & Creation In The Backyard) feels a lot more genuine.

 

[Ron Reda]

I agree with you there, but I feel it's only because it's an old jazz standard. The other covers are non-jazz songs that he put his own personal stamp on. I don't know one person whom I've played "Twentysomething" for that didn't go crazy for "High & Dry" and "Wind Cries Mary".

 

[AlexCremers]

Yes, those are great.

 

[Ron Reda]

How is his first CD?

 

[AlexCremers]

His first album 'Pointless Nostalgic' is very good and a definite must buy if you like Cullum. It's the CD that got him his big contract. It has only one weakness and that's the studio version of his 'High And Dry' cover. I simply skip it. On the other hand, the song 'I Want To Be A Popstar' (which Jamie wrote himself) is almost reason enough to buy the whole CD.


Alex

 

[Ron Reda]

I'll have to pick it up then. Why is "High And Dry" a weakness? How does it compare to the version on "Twentysomething"?

 

[AlexCremers]

Well, the arrangement isn't there yet. And each time that he uses his falsetto voice he comes too close to the mic (then it gets loud and distracting). The live version on 'Twentysomething' is quite an improvement.

Of course, nothing beats the original Radiohead version .