Rating:
Genre:
Vocal Music
Release Date: 10/11/2005
British pianist/vocalist
Jamie Cullum's previous effort,
Twentysomething, was an uncomplicated mix of piano-driven melodic
pop with a jazzy twist and some reworked
jazz standards. 2005's
Catching Tales follows a similar format but falls short of its predecessor's simple approach by muddying up the production with dated
electronic flourishes. Which isn't to say it's a bad album. On the contrary, despite some ill-advised attempts at would-be-hip DJ-style tracks,
Catching Tales features more of
Cullum's superb songwriting. Essentially a singer/songwriter in the tradition of such icons as
Billy Joel and
Randy Newman,
Cullum is at his best when performing simple melodic songs with some
jazz harmony that make the most of his burnished croon and verbal wit. To these ends, the beautifully melancholy
"London Skies" brings to mind
Joe Jackson covering a
Radiohead song. Similarly, the romantic and folky
"Photograph" reveals the often sardonically snotty
Cullum to be a top-notch balladeer. It's also at these
soft rock moments, when he isn't attempting to gun down the
jazz canon, that
Cullum's improvisation sounds the best. Also impressive is his mid-tempo
swing-cum-
soul track
"Nothing I Do," which marries
Harry Connick, Jr.'s neo-croon to
Stevie Wonder's
R&B harmonies. If
Cullum's only attempt at contemporary hipness was his inspired cover version of
the Doves'
"Catch the Sun," the album would be a rousing success. Unfortunately though,
Cullum's expansive vision finds him collaborating with
Dan the Automator on the leadoff track,
"Get Your Way." What may have been an attempt to try something new ultimately sounds more like early-'90s
hip-hop jazz à la
Digable Planets replete with scratchy vinyl record sound and canned beat. Also disappointing is his reworking of the
Harry Warren classic
"I Only Have Eyes for You," which, while an attempt at a
Massive Attack-style
trip-hop track, sounds more like
U2's equally atrocious 1990
Cole Porter redo
"Night and Day." However, when
Cullum sticks to his piano and a good melody
Catching Tales actually bests
Twentysomething and easily shakes the "new-
jazz" tag he has been working against.
~Matt Collar, All Music Guide
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