Frozen Britain (New Song) - James

Although they are not the most successful band to hail from Manchester, they are almost certainly the most beloved – and to be completely honest, that probably means a lot more. There is something inherently likeable about James, they appeal to the everyman, they are masters of their craft, and have built up an extensive canon of music that is both recognisable and identifiable, as well as being profound and timeless. They are associated with writing music that “makes grown men cry” – something that not many other bands can claim. 

And now, fresh of the release of The Gathering Sound – a full career spanning box set – the band have just announced that June 2^nd will see the release of their latest album La Petite Mort (a French expression which translates as ‘the little death’ and is a euphemistic term for an orgasm).

Since reuniting, the group have released one full studio album (2008’s Hey Ma) and two mini-albums in 2010: The Night Before and The Morning After. All three of these releases have solidified the staying power of the group, and proved that their reformation was not just a temporary thing.

Echoes of those mini-albums run through ‘Frozen Britain’ (it’s more akin to tracks from the livelier of the two albums: The Night Before – such as ‘Crazy’, ‘Shine’ and ‘Hero’). The track is full of vibrant energy, despite this being their thirteenth album the group are showing no signs of slowing down. Tim Booth is not playing it safe either, but throwing caution to the wind: the repeated chorus line of “Emily come to bed” is performed with gusto and confidence. He then brings the song to a close with emotionally-charged repetitions of the album’s title, as well as references to the eponymous Emily.

This bodes well for the rest of the album. I for one will certainly be buying it, and I eagerly await the arrival of the first single – ‘Moving On’ – at the end of April.