Jamie Cullum – Taller (Deluxe Edition)

Jamie Cullum

Taller (Deluxe Edition)

(Island Records)

It’s been a long old wait for Cullum fans – including Sargeant Jnr – but at last a new album is here. The vocal element is expanded and judiciously used but the instrumental fire seems undiminished. The record launch at Pryzm in Kingston, organised by the enterprising Banquet Records was an exuberant event mixing depth with funk-fuelled fun. Production by Troy Miller and Jamie Cullum. We are looking here at the Deluxe Edition of the release with its extra tracks.

 Taller has a strident Cullum vocal over a ponderous beat and was a highlight of the live launch. An insidious string arrangement and ensemble vocal add weight and colour to the mix. ,To my ears, there’s an echo of Nina Simone here. Jamie?

 On to Life Is Grey is conversational to start, like Cullum is in your living room. It’s a reflective poem set to music, maybe the key a tone too high but likely to induce an ache that suits the song’s plaintive mood. I believe an upright piano was mostly used on these recordings, rather than a grand. The pastoral keyboard runs bring in a vocal refrain. An etherial vibe drifts across the number. Handclaps and a heavy-footed beat brings in Mankind, almost sounding like a nod to Elton John. Cullum’s take on modern gospel in impact. I bet Mavis Staples would duet on this!

 Usher was from an idea by Sophie Dahl. It reminds me of Prince in many respects. It’s the first uptempo inclusion, Jamie sings of time machines as the group hits a falsetto chorus, in a Lovesexy mode. The funk drumming sounds spot on. Look out, Mark Ronson ! Some synth fun ensues. Next The Age Of Anxiety and we are back to the intimate delivery, Cullum sounding world-weary, seemingly ruminating on success and its trappings. For The Love approaches softly with a vocal refrain, another reflective lyric unfolds. He really seems to be emptying his head on this collection. It’s a catchy melody.

 Drink – introduced by a dopey trollop on The One Show as ‘Drunk’! – has a steady but subdued intro, Jamie’s dry intoning vocal hardening as the arrangement builds, again those sweet strings.. the sort of number Frank Sinatra would have soaked in style, I venture. Then You Can’t Hideaway From Love and we are back in the living room, the big wide world shut out. He can pull off these tender moments that have a touch of the Fifties music he loves. Almost as though he’s writing for Mel Torme…

 Monster is about coming up with a hit tune, some electric piano in the backdrop and the chorale used to advantage. This stays in the mind and is the sort of melodic bittersweet material The Divine Comedy weave together. Endings Are Beginnings sounds like a lullaby, stripped back and beguiling. Love Is In The Picture is a pretty love song, a slight croak in the voice and minimal backing to start, would be a fine pick for Cliff Richard. Needs a brass band in the arrangement. Work Of Art is a lively outing, handclaps upfront. The band sound like they enjoyed performing this one, with its nod to Motown and Smokey.

.The Man goes tropical with a vocal steal from Sympathy For The Devil, a pretty strong composition overall and different. Good Luck With Your Demons is a demo and has a stealthy pulse, Cullum singing of a troubled soul. Maybe the best lyric on the set, I venture. Marlon Brando uses a funk backbeat for a fantasy lyric, a catchy item as good as anything here. Finally, we get Show Me The Magic which reeks of a Fifties Christmas, big band swing backing and all. Corny as hell but puts a smile on your face, nonetheless…

 On this record, Cullum has a mental clearout on a variety of tunes. It’s probably the record he needed to make. Next step imho should be a live album incorporating some of his incendiary jazz-fuelled solo’ing in amongst his great material. Now that would balance things up nicely.

 Pete Sargeant