Saw Jamie T again

Promise this will be my last jamie related post for a while. I'm even starting to bore myself. Saw him at Brixton Academy on Friday. This is my review written for the day job

The last time MTV caught Jamie T live we’d only heard one track from his second album Kings & Queens and didn’t realise it was set to be one of the most accomplished records of 2009.
Since then it’s had time to bed in with the thousands at Brixton Academy- these shows were originally scheduled for October before throat issues caused them to be moved.

Tonight Jamie and (his live band) The Pacemakers open with gentle B-side St Christopher as a prelude to the real business. Then it’s Man’s Machine- which typifies everything great about last year’s album. Opening with an obscure vocal sample and simple piano it ends with layers of raps, shouts and a near perfect chorus.

British Intelligence, 368 and Earth, Wind and Fire show that the South London boy takes influence not only from punk’s smartest writers but also baritone crooners and maverick rappers.



T’s next single Emily’s Heart shows that he can pull off a folk ballad too and also gets a decent sing-along from the hometown audience. Many of whom seem to be old school JT fans who appreciate early tracks like Northern Line and Diego as well as hits If You Got The Money and Sheila.

The indie icon- in skinny jeans and baggy white t-shirt- admits to being nervous but still saves his best recent tracks till the encore. Spider’s Web mutates joyfully from a ukulele ditty about “top bananas” and “in jokes about Americana” to a skittering drum n bass monster.

Then Sticks N Stones closes proceedings with sing-along hooks and lyrics that mean everything and nothing at the same time. Which just about sums up all the best pop music.

"Allow me to re-introduce myself

My name is Hov!"



Saw Jay-Z live at Ally Pally this week and this track was my personal highlight. It's from The Black Album and is just an absolute banger right?

Read my review at my day job here

On a side note the producer of this track Just Blaze has done a lot of Relapse 2- Eminem's next disc. Will be interesting to hear some Shady tracks without Dre.

Phoenix

Phoenix are one of my favourite bands ever but for some reason I never expected to see them live.

I did last week at Brixton Academy though and they were absolutely incredible. With gorgeous crisp guitars, keys and drums. The lighting and stage design were impeccable too with lazers, projections and backdrops to suit the music.

Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix is a great album but i'm more into their first two records. After playing most of their new disc in the main set it was the encore that kept me (very) happy.

Everything Is Everything (stripped back)/ Playground Love/ If I Ever Feel Better/ 1901

It was just perfect.

HEAR MY FAVOURITE PHOENIX TRACKS ON SPOTIFY HERE

Eminem Relapse Review

A lot has happened in hip hop since Eminem’s last album came out five years ago. And a lot has happened in Shady’s personal life- with his best friend Proof shot dead the rapper became addicted to all manner of prescription pills. Hence the album’s overriding theme.

It’s a surprise then that two of the finest tracks on Relapse return to long time preoccupations- or as he calls Mariah Carey the 'permanant fixture in my lyrical mixture.' Bagpipes From Baghdad is the song that's been causing Nick Cannon sleepless nights but also the track where his rhymes sound most alive. On that song and Stay Wide Awake the Detroit native uses a new faster vocal style- which thankfully shies away from his high pitched whine used too frequently in recent years.

In My Mom he returns to his nightmare childhood and adds blame to his mother for recent drug problems. Em' is certainly self aware though and admits "I know you're probably tired of hearing about my mom," before faking a cry.

Eminem has toned nothing down- continuing his Christopher Reeve obsession, love of fart jokes and violent threats (on 3am). He also talks about being abused himself on the aptly titled Insane. The track makes uncomfortable listening as Marshall details child rape in forensic detail. It's like one of those documentaries about paedophiles which is nearly too hard to watch.

As on his last disc Encore Slim runs out of things to say on a few songs- particularly Must Be The Ganja and We Made You- resorting to celeb-baiting and vague threats. The thing is he still says nothing better than Lil Wayne, T.I or his protégé 50 Cent.

On production duties Dr Dre is back to his bass-bumping best- from the west coast piano tinkle on Crack' through the Scottish stomp of Bagpipes’ to Underground's off-kilter darkness. R&B and pop acts are sure to be knocking at the Doc's door soon.

The album peaks when Eminem is raw, open, honest and hurting. On Beautiful and Déjà Vu he is self-pitying but also at his confessional best. And while he never reaches the heights of his Marshall Mathers LP Relapse is enough to confirm the return of one of the most important MCs in the game.