UK band, James, formed in the early ’80s to join the rising stars of the day. Their music reflected the sounds of the times well enough. Their first album, Stutter, was released in 1986. It left no question that this band was one to follow. Unfortunately today, there are not too many outside the realm of aficionado that can recall James. And that fact perplexes me.
Their music actually sold quite well inside the UK (God bless the the UK’s heart). By the time the band got to Laid, their 1993 album, they had the attention of the US audience. Laid featured the production skills of Brian Eno, who, by that time, was seen as some kind of visionary after his production works with U2.
James released Wah Wah a year later in 1994. With that album, their US audience has slipped away, but the UK love for them endured pushing the band to a greater height of fame in their own country. Nevertheless, James retained a good US fan base even if it didn’t generate large scale sales numbers there.
Both Laid, and Wah Wah were excellent works by a band that were a solid and talented collective. Of course, any of their albums (should you want to go exploring) are satisfying in their unique way.
On March 24, Mercury (the band’s US label) Records will release two James sets.
The first is a 2CD Deluxe Edition of Laid. That set will feature not only new remastering of the classic album, but will also offer an album-related collection of B-sides, outtakes, rehearsal tracks, and more. It will feature a 28-page booklet filled with the expected set of photos, credits, and liner notations. Laid will also be released in a 2LP version.
Mercury will also release a 4CD Super Deluxe Box that will feature both Laid, and Wah Wah. Each album is remastered. The Box will include 68 tracks total that will include a large collection of B-sides, rehearsal tracks, outtakes, live tracks, and radio sessions, all of them previously unreleased. The Super Deluxe Edition will add in a packed 56-page booklet covering both classic albums, four button badges, and four postcards.
Track Listing – Laid/Wah Wah (Super Deluxe)
CD1:
1. Out To Get You (Laid)
2. Sometimes (Lester Pigott) (Laid)
3. Dream Thrum (Laid)
4. One of The Three (Laid)
5. Say Something (Laid)
6. Five-O (Laid)
7. P.S. (Laid)
8. Everybody Knows (Laid)
9. Knuckle Too Far (Laid)
10. Low Low Low (Laid)
11. Laid (Laid)
12. Lullaby (Laid)
13. Skindiving (Laid)
CD2:
1. Hammer Strings (Wah Wah)
2. Pressure’s On (Wah Wah)
3. Jam J (Wah Wah)
4. Frequency Dip (Wah Wah)
5. Lay The Law Down (Wah Wah)
6. Burn The Cat (Wah Wah)
7. Maria (Wah Wah)
8. Low Clouds (Wah Wah)
9. Building A Fire (Wah Wah)
10. Gospel Oak (Wah Wah)
11. DVV (Wah Wah)
12. Say Say Something (Wah Wah)
13. Rhythmic Dreams (Wah Wah)
14. Dead Man (Wah Wah)
15. Rain Whistling (Wah Wah)
16. Basic Brian (Wah Wah)
17. Low Clouds (Wah Wah)
18. Bottom Of The Well (Wah Wah)
19. Honest Joe (Wah Wah)
20. Arabic Agony (Wah Wah)
21. Tomorrow (Wah Wah)
22. Laughter (Wah Wah)
23. Sayonara (Wah Wah)
CD3:
1. Carousel (Rehearsal demo of Say Something)
2. Unknown Track 8 (Rehearsal demo)
3. Dream Thrum (Rehearsal demo)
4. Chicken Goth (Rehearsal demo)
5. Jam J (Rehearsal demo)
6. You Were Born (Take 1) (Early version of One Of The Three)
7. Bruce Jam 1 (Mix 1) (Early version of Knuckle Too Far)
8. Jam D / Rhythmic Dreams alt.(Rehearsal demo)
9. Jam E (out-take) (Rehearsal demo)
10. Jam 11 (Slow Jam-Grotesque/Angular)
11. Jam 12B (Dreamy Later Singing)
12. Jam P (Fabulous Melody But Unusual Bass)
13. Jam P2 (Later)
14. Jam Q (Early version of Honest Joe)
15. Jam R (Beefheart Jam)
16. Who Is Gospel Oak? (Early version)
17. Falsetto (Instrumental version of Skydiving)
18. Jam 13 (Fast Marcus Has Mixed)
CD4:
1. America (Live In The U.S. 9/92) (B-Side of Sometimes)
2. Building A Charge (B-Side of Sometimes)
3. Wah Wah Kits (B-Side of Laid)
4. The Lake (B-Side of Laid)
5. Seconds Away (B-Side of Laid)
6. Say Something (New Version) (Double A-Side with Jam J)
7. Assassin (B-Side of SaySomething/Jam J)
8. Laid (Acoustic 99x, Atlanta 26/2/94) (B-side of Say Something US promo CD)
9. Low Low Low (BBC Session 27/9/93)
10. Sometimes (BBC Session 27/9/93)
11. Tomorrow (BBC Session 27/9/93)
12. Five-O (BBC Session 27/9/93)
13. Jam J (Arena Dub/Amphetamine Pulsate 12in remix)
14. Jam J (Sabresonic Tremelo Dub/Spaghetti Steamhammer 12in remix)